I DON’T know if Chris Green (Letters, March 29) is a member of a trades union but, if he is, he will know that, contrary to Tory myth, trades unionists don’t take strike action lightly.

This is certainly true of teachers, who are well aware of the inconvenience caused by strikes and the loss of income entailed.

If Mr Green wants to know why members of the NUT took strike action last week he only needs to ask teachers.

He will discover a series of significant concerns. The Education Secretary, Michael Gove, is imposing rushed and incoherent curriculum change, unnecessary and destabilising exam specificaton change, confusing changes to accountability measures, all at the same time and without adequate consultation.

He is, moreover, changing teachers’ terms and conditions. At present, in our schools, I think we probably have the hardest working and most skilled cohort of teachers we have ever had. They are also under more pressure to perform than any previous generation of teachers.

They take action to defend their profession and the educational system they serve so well. I hope they enjoy the support of the community.

Cllr Kevin McKeon Horwich