London: Nearly two lakh school teachers in Britain have halted work over a pay dispute shutting down over 4,100 schools and partially closing 4,000 others, even as more industrial strikes stared the government in face.

The massive strike, which took place after a gap of 21 years, saw teachers from the National Union Teachers staying away from schools for a day. They were protesting against a three-year pay deal announced in January. The pay deal, recommended by the independent School Teachers Review Body, would raise the salaries by 2.45 per cent from September 2008, and by 2.3 per cent in September 2009 and 2010.

While other teacher unions including NASUWT and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers have accepted the recommendations, the NUT has said that the price was below the Retail Price Index inflation rate, and that it actually amounted to a pay-cut.

If the pay dispute remains unresolved, chances of teachers ballotting in the union for more strikes are on the cards. Besides, over 1.25 million local government workers in all important sectors are also being asked by their unions if they will accept the respective pay hike offers made by the government.

The unions, including Unison, the GMB and Unite, have recommended that the offer be rejected.

Source : PTI