For the first time in 21 years, teachers will stage a one day walk out from the classroom in protest against the government pay increase.

The award of 2.45% for 2008 is higher than those given for other public sector workers such as the police and NHS staff but still remains below the rate of inflation which is currently 4.1%.

NUT members have voted 3:1 in favour of a strike to take place on 24th April 2008.

Steve Sinnott, general secretary of the NUT says: “The consequences of real term pay cuts are familiar to us. They were a feature of the ‘boom and bust’ years before 1997. In that period schools suffered from recruitment and retention problems – there were teacher shortages and morale was low. The NUT wants no return to those bad old days.”

Mr Sinnott also expressed concern over the low starting salaries for newly qualified teachers and difficulties they face in trying to enter the housing market, despite a growth of shared ownership schemes aimed specifically at key workers such as teachers.

Better salaries might also help to recruit the brightest graduates, he says. “To bring the best young graduates into the profession, teachers’ salaries need to be competitive with those for graduates in the private sector. Our children deserve the best.”

“I call on the government to think again and ensure that salaries at least keep in line with inflation and that there is recognition of the continuing workload pressures on teachers,” he says.

The Association of Teachers and Lecturers said that their members voted against strike action despite being unhappy with the pay deal. Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the ATL says: “The 2.45 per cent pay deal for teachers was less than teachers deserve and is not enough to maintain teacher recruitment and retention.

“Although ATL members are not happy about the deal, our members’ consultation showed there was a clear majority against industrial action. They recognise the Government accepted in full the recommendations of the independent pay review carried out by the STRB.

“However, as an affiliate member of the TUC, ATL would not do anything to undermine the action of the NUT.”