STRIKE action could see schools close as teachers fight against cuts to their pensions.

Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) this weekend called for workers to stage general strikes.

And if it is backed, schools across Huddersfield would have to close.

And Gill Goodswen, NUT president and former headteacher of the former Stile Common Junior School in Newsome, said it was the newly-qualified teachers who faced hardship.

Speaking to the Examiner before she took to the stage at the NUT conference yesterday, Gill explained: “It is down to members because there is going to be a ballot.

“The Government is unfairly attacking our pensions.

“Teachers all say that they want to teach and our focus is always on teaching, but we’ve taken a pay freeze and now we’re having to face pension contribution cuts. At some stage we’ve got to make a stand.

“With these changes a newly-qualified teacher will be around £69 a month worse off, if you add that up over a lifetime then it’s a massive amount.

“Members in Huddersfield, like everywhere else, will be balloted, along with members of other unions.

“This will be very much a decision by all teachers.”

Her comments came as delegates at the National Union of Teachers (NUT) annual conference in Harrogate passed a resolution to ballot for a walkout over the Government’s pensions changes.

Unions are concerned that the Government’s plans will leave teachers paying more, working longer and receiving less when they retire.