Chants of "Pay up" heard as strikers gather in Halifax for rally on day of national teachers' strikes

People waving flags and signs could be seen outside Calderdale Industrial Museum in Halifax town centre as passing cars sounded their horns in support of the strike action.

Strike action is taking place across the country today (Wednesday) because of a national dispute between teaching unions and the Government.

Many classrooms across the the borough will be closed throughout the day while National Education Union (NEU) members strike, with some year groups told to stay at home.

The National Education Union (NEU) says 23,400 schools in England and Wales will be affected today.

President of the Calderdale branch of the NEU Daniel Whittall spoke to the crowd gathered in Halifax: "We know, as the National Education Union, that our education service is in a perilous state.

"It’s in a perilous state because of systematic under-funding from the government over the past 10 years. Because of systematic over-working of every education worker, not just the teaching staff who take strike action today but all of the support staff and everybody else involved in care work, in mental health support work and everybody else.

"We need this Government to pay up for a good quality education.”

The speech was followed by passionate ‘pay up’ chants from the group.

Teachers and union members from across Calderdale attended the rally on the day of the strike.

"As part of the teachers union the narrative in the press has very much been about teachers pay and I think it’s a lot more than teachers pay,” said teacher and union member Chris Walker.

"I think it’s about unfunded pay rises which means five per cent pay rise but the Government will only give around 0.5 per cent. Where do you find the other 4.5 per cent? Schools have to cut the budgets and that’s support staff, that’s people who aren’t necessarily teachers getting cut and to me that is taking money from children.

“More pay to keep in line with inflation would be best, we have lost a lot of money over the past 12, 13 years so it’s time for a change.

"This is a long time coming really, this shouldn’t be any surprise to the Government.”

Chris then went on to say what union members are hoping to achieve from strike action.

“Funded pay rises first of all and negotiations and let’s go from there.

“I think workload is an issue as well so I’d like to say them coming to the table with some ideas on how to reduce workload.”

Teacher and union member Sam Rigby was also at the rally and said: “Improvements are needed for working conditions not just for teachers but everybody in the teaching community.

"I think it’s about standing up for everyone not just the teachers because the pay for non-teaching staff is quite frankly appalling.”

Unless the union reaches an agreement with the Government, this will not be the only strike. A series of regional actions are planned, including strike action across the Yorkshire and Humber region on February 28.

There could then be further national strike action on March 14 and 15.