Council pledges to minimise impact of industrial action
Parents have been warned that some schools in the borough may be forced to close on Thursday 24 April due to a planned strike by the National Union of Teachers.
The National Union of Teachers voted three to one in favour of strike action on a 32 per cent turnout.
The union wants the 2.45% pay rise for 2008 lifted above headline inflation, which it claims stands at 4.1 per cent.
General secretary Steve Sinnott said: "I call on the government to think again and ensure that salaries at least keep pay in line with inflation and that there is a recognition of the continuing workload pressures on teachers."
"The consequences of real term pay cuts are familiar to us. They were a feature of the 'boom and bust' years before 1997
It will be the first national teachers' strike for twenty years.
Cllr Antony Lillis, Cabinet Member for Community and Children’s Services at Hammersmith and Fulham Council, said: "We are doing our best to ensure that all schools remain open on April 24 and that the impact of the strike on the education of our children and young people is minimised.
"We have asked schools to give particular consideration to pupils with special needs and those with crucial examination commitments in the weeks that follow the intended action. It is now up to the individual headteachers and Chairs of Governors to make decisions about whether to close their particular schools or not."
Parents are advised to contact their own schools for further information
April 11, 2008