Teachers plan walkout on Thursday 24th April over 2.45% pay increase
Thousands of local children will be forced to stay home from school on Thursday 24th April because of strike action by teaching staff.
In Hounslow alone 23 schools will be closed (4 secondary, 18 primary); 30 will be partially closed (5 secondary, 23 primary) meaning that 17,298 students and pupils will be disrupted.
The National Union of Teachers called the strike in protest at a 2.45% pay rise. Whilst many parents would sympathise with their children's teachers, the walkout will cause disruption especially for children for whom important exams are looming.
Education Secretary Ed Balls said he was "disappointed" that the teachers' union had called the strike and that parents would share his feelings about the walkout. "I'm on the side of parents who will be disappointed if their children's education is disrupted on Thursday." He added that the majority of teachers do not want to strike.
And it's not just the government that has come out against the teacher's strike, National Employers' Organisation for School Teachers Chairman Ivan Ould "Children so close to their exams will lose out on invaluable study time and parents will lose out as they are forced to take unnecessary holiday to look after them.
"It's my busiest time of year," said one local parent who, like many others, is not in a position to take the day off work on Thursday. "I'm know I'm not the only person who's in this situation but I don't know what I'm supposed to do."
Parents should contact their children's schools directly to ascertain whether or not they will be open on Thursday.
April 22, 2008