At a glance headlines – May 16, 2013

The National Union of Teachers and NASUWT held further public rallies this weekend as part of its build-up to strike action. The unions, which represent 85 per cent of teachers in England and Wales, are in the middle of a campaign of industrial action protesting changes to teachers’ pensions, pay and working conditions, as well as wider education reform including academies and free schools. Rallies were held in Leeds and Birmingham on Saturday (May 11) with further events planned soon in Cardiff and Newcastle. A series of regional strikes are to take place between June and October, with a national strike planned for the autumn term. Chris Keates, NASUWT general secretary, said there was “widespread opposition to the education policies of the coalition government”. She added: “These rallies for education are being held in defence of our world class public education system which the coalition government is determined to wreck.”