Teachers vote to strike

 Teachers in England and Wales have voted to go on strike over what they are calling the "erosion" of their pay and working conditions.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) said that 82.5% of the members who voted were in favour of walkouts. The turnout was 27%.

They will campaign alongside the other big teachers' union, the NASUWT, to safeguard their profession, they said.

The result raises the threat of disruption to schools later this term.

NUT general secretary Christine Blower said her union had been left with no option but to "protect the well-being" of her members.

The NUT took national strike action over pensions and pay in June of 2011, along with several other unions, closing thousands of schools.

NASUWT union general secretary Chris Keates congratulated the NUT on the positive strike ballot.

Both unions are due to set out their next steps on Monday, but both voted separately for further action at their annual conferences last Easter.