Teachers in strike warning

THERE has been an angry response to the news of the latest education cuts to hit the city, with warnings of strike action in response to the plan to save £2.4 million.

As the Evening News reported yesterday, the city council is planning to force demotions and pay cuts on 139 principal teachers in the city. Two thirds of them will become curriculum leaders, with smaller remits, and the remainder will return to the classroom. Fifteen deputy head positions will be axed.

Labour education spokesman on the city council, Paul Godzik, said: "Both parents and teachers have expressed real anger over these proposals, which are too deep, too fast, and risks harming our schools.

"The possibility of strike action has been mentioned to me on numerous occasions in discussions with staff."