IT is feared a threatened work-to-rule by teachers could damage the Olympic ‘legacy’ by depriving children of after-school sports.
Schools face disruption after National Union of Teachers members backed strike action and not running extra-curricular activities.
They are angry at pay freezes, increased pension contributions, faster discipline for incompetent teachers, the conversion of schools into academies and threats to axe national pay bargaining.
Every school could be affected as the NUT is co-operating with another union, NASUWT, whose members are already working to rule and have a strike mandate.
Some believe the action could hit the Olympic pledge to ‘inspire a generation’.
Robin Head, NUT secretary in Somerset, said co-ordinated strikes were ‘not imminent’.
“Staff do this with heavy hearts,” added Mr Head. “They’ve had a three-year pay freeze and are paying more into their pensions – in real terms teachers are losing out.
“Staff are working long hours after school and in the holidays and they’re tired of being ordered around by the Secretary of State.
“The Government is imposing judgements on schools and damaging education rather than supporting it.”
Rob Benzie, chairman of the Som-erset Association of Secondary Head-teachers, said heads are frustrated at Government ‘intransigence’.
He said: “Things such as free schools and university technical schools have been introduced without any consultation with the profession and with no regard to local need.
“People in the profession are feeling disenfranchised. We want to make sure the profession is treated fairly.”
