AROUND 25 Barry Comprehensive school teachers walked out of class this week following a dispute over wages docked for non-attendance at a voluntary promotional event.

The NASUWT manned a picket line outside the school, on Tuesday, December, 17 in protest over attempts to cut several colleagues salaries for not being present at an open evening held at the school earlier in the year.

But the Vale Council maintained the event was part of the directed time calendar and attendance had been necessary.

Teachers, receiving a supportive reception from people passing the school, said they frequently engaged in non-paid work for the love of the job, but being commanded to volunteer and having wages docked for non-attendance at a voluntary activity was unacceptable.

Union official Rex Phillips, NASUWT, said: "The NASUWT made strenuous efforts to persuade both the school and the Vale of Glamorgan authority that their view that teachers could be directed to attend voluntary activities is incorrect.

“Sadly, the school and the authority have closed their minds to reasoned argument and have docked the pay of those members who decided not to volunteer.

“In such circumstances, our members have been left with no option other than to take strike action.”

Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT, the largest teachers’ union in Wales, said: “It is highly regrettable that our members at Barry Comprehensive School have been left with no option other than to take this action.

“The actions of the employer have been unreasonable and provocative.

“Taking strike action was the only option left to teachers in the face of such a punitive stance.

“The NASUWT is proud of the stand our members at Barry Comprehensive School are making today, as it send a clear message that where a school or local authority fails to respect teachers’ contractual provisions and lawful industrial action, they will be faced with an escalation of action."

The union members branded the school and Vale Council’s action as “unnecessarily hostile” with their action a protest against the school’s failure to respect the contractual provisions of the teachers and agree a calendar of meetings with the NASUWT, the attempt to direct members to participate in a voluntary activity, and the deduction of salary for non-attendance at this voluntary event.

Vale Council director of Learning and Skills, Jennifer Hill, said that on September 22 the authority confirmed to the union’s county secretary that the open evening would form part of the directed time calendar.

But on December 9 the council was notified of the intention to take industrial action.

Ms Hill said: “It remains the understanding of the council that it was reasonable to expect teachers to attend the open evening as part of their directed time, particularly given the event was planned in the summer term and included in the calendar of school events contained in the Schools Guide Book for staff. The four teachers who chose not to attend have had their salary adjusted on a proportionate basis to reflect the four hours utilised to hold the event.”