The two biggest teachers' unions are threatening a national one-day strike in England before Christmas in a row over pay, pensions and workloads.

But the NUT and NASUWT have held back from announcing a date and are calling for talks rather than "megaphone diplomacy" with the government.

The teachers' unions have given dates in October for their continuing campaign of rolling regional strikes.

The Department for Education described the strikes as "disappointing".

There will be regional strikes on 1 October in the east of England, the Midlands, Yorkshire and Humberside and on 17 October in London, North East, South East and South West.

Teachers have accused the government of "reckless and irresponsible behaviour" and say that Mr Gove has refused to engage in meaningful negotiations.

But the government has said the walkouts are disruptive to pupils' education.

'No choice'
Mr Gove wrote to both unions in March to say he was willing to meet them but the "direction of travel" on their key issues was "fixed".

Under his reforms, set to come into effect from this autumn, pay will be linked to performance in the classroom and schools will set salaries, rather than follow a national framework.

Changes have also been made to public sector pensions.

The regional strikes began to take place in June.

Christine Blower, general secretary of the NUT, said: "At the start of the new academic year, the last thing teachers wish to be doing is preparing for further industrial action.

"With pay, pensions and working conditions being systematically attacked and an education secretary who refuses to listen or negotiate teachers now have no other choice."

Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT, said: "Teachers will be angered by the recklessness of the secretary of state's continuing failure to take seriously their concerns and engage in genuine discussions to address them."

The education secretary is due to deliver a speech on the teaching profession later in the day.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: "It is disappointing that the NUT and Nasuwt are striking over the government's measures to allow heads to pay good teachers more.

"In a recent poll, 61% of respondents supported linking teachers' pay to performance and 70% either opposed the strikes or believed that teachers should not be allowed to strike at all."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-23970281

chai! End time tinz......so,dz ppl sf sabi strike chai! End time tinz......so,dz ppl sf sabi strike

So unbelieveable

1 day strike? .. they should come to Nigeria let ASUU teach them how to strike indefinitely