Teachers' union calls strike action "regrettable but necessary" (From Croydon Guardian)

Teachers' union calls strike action in Croydon "regrettable but necessary"

9:34am Wednesday 30th November 2011 in News

Members of the largest teachers’ union in the country have called today’s strike action a “last resort”.

Nearly 1,400 teachers in Croydon are members of the NASUWT, which is taking part in a nationwide day of industrial action.

A spokesman for the union said: “This strike action is a last resort; no teacher wants pupils to lose schooling, nor to inconvenience parents.

“But we believe we don’t have any other choice.”

It claims the Government’s proposals is not a financial necessity but “an ideologically driven tax on the public sector”.

The spokesman added: “Pensions are paid for by teachers and their employers as part of their salary.

“Teachers deserve a decent pension as does every worker whether they work in the public or private sector.

“In Croydon, teachers have delivered increases in SATs and GCSE levels year on year.

“There is real anger right across the teaching profession which is why NASUWT members are taking this very unusual, regrettable but unfortunately necessary action today.”