School on strike over pay changes

Staff have mounted a picket line at Pontllanfraith Comprehensive

Staff have mounted a picket line at an 800-pupil secondary school in south Wales closed by a strike in a lengthy dispute over a new pay structure.

A total of 35 members of the NASUWT union at Pontllanfraith Comprehensive, are taking the one-day action.

Teachers are angry about a new system for extra responsibility payments and are threatening more strikes.

Caerphilly Council said it was disappointed but satisfied the head and governors had tried to resolve it.

After-school training

New teacher payments - or TLRs - are worth up to £11,000 a year and replace the old system of management allowances, which the government said were outdated and open to abuse.

But the NASUWT said the new payments meant some staff would be expected to do the same amount or more work for lower pay.

It said its members were being asked to attend after-school training sessions, consultation meetings with parents, while middle managers were being asked to attend extra meetings.

Tim Cox, of NASUWT, apologised to the parents of the pupils at the school forced to stay home on Thursday.

The school has asked conciliation service Acas to resolve the row

But he said the union had "no option" other than to take the strike action following the breakdown of talks 10 days ago.

He said some members were losing up to £1,500 a year under the new pay structure

The school has contacted the conciliation service Acas to try to resolve the dispute.

Mr Cox said the union would be willing to take part but did not believe the school's governing body and LEA were interested in "genuine consultation".

He said the dispute first started in June 2005, and the union had moved its position considerably since then "but the governing body of the school is refusing to listen to our concerns".

'Meaningful dialogue'

The union is warning of a rolling programme of further strikes starting next week.

In a statement the council said its director of education had agreed to take part in Acas talks.

The statement added: "The head teacher and governors are keen to resolve this dispute and have agreed that they will continue to suspend their implementation programme in the furtherance of a resolution.

"The local education authority is satisfied that the head teacher and the governing body have complied with their obligations, have tried to maintain a meaningful dialogue with the union and have conducted the staffing review according to requirements."