Teachers in mass walkout

ON the picket line . . . at Waterhead Academy (from left) Nigel Yeo (joint branch secretary), Keith Hick, Mary Decelis, Steve Hall and Tony Harrison (joint branch secretary)

DOZENS of schools across Oldham were closed today as teachers walked out over pay, pensions and conditions.

Pupils had a day off as members of the two largest teaching unions, the NUT and the NASUWT, held a one-day strike.

Around 60 per cent of the borough’s schools are thought to have have closed or partially closed today — forcing parents to find alternative childcare.

Tony Harrison, joint Oldham NUT branch secretary, was on the picket line at Waterhead Academy.

He said: “These strikes are not against the individual schools. They are against Mr Gove and central government.”