Teachers threaten walk-out

Updated 07.27 Sat Apr 07 2007

Keywords: Union, Gordon Brown, National Union of Teachers, NUT

A national strike by 260,000 teachers has been threatened in protest at plans by Chancellor Gordon Brown to limit their pay.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) is set to discuss the prospect of a one-day walkout as "the first stage" in a campaign to force Mr Brown to reconsider plans to limit public sector pay rises to two per cent.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) is set to discuss the prospect of a one-day walkout as "the first stage" in a campaign to force Mr Brown to reconsider plans to limit public sector pay rises

Nurses and midwives have already condemned plans to give them what unions have said amounts to a rise of less than two per cent a year, while the armed forces receive up to nine per cent under Mr Brown's proposals.

The NUT's executive has drafted a priority motion for debate at the union's annual conference in Harrogate which calls for a ballot over strike action.