Thousands of striking workers in Sussex marched through Brighton city this Lunchtime.
The workers met at the level at 11am this morning and led the NEU (National Education Union) then marched through the city.
The NEU estimates 85% of schools will be fully or partially closed by the teacher strikes today, based on a snapshot sample of 8,000 NEU school representatives and volunteers. It says more than 23,000 schools will be affected out of around 26,000 schools in England and Wales.
The NEU said “The ballot is a result of failure by the Secretary of State in England and the employers in Wales to ensure enough money is available to pay a fully-funded increase in pay for teachers which at least matches inflation, and which begins to restore lost pay.”
The Sussex NCU (The union for academic and professional staff at the University of Sussex,) said “Today we join half a million other trade union members across the UK on strike! We reject UCEA’s ridiculous pay offer. We demand a better offer AND commitments on pay gaps, workload, and casualisation..”
According to the Trades Union Congress a total of around  500,000 workers are striking today across seven unions in the biggest day of industrial action in recent years,
Airports will be also be affected as Border Force officers join the action.
Gatwick Airport said, “Due to strikes at Border Force, expect longer wait times at passport control on 1 February.”
ASLEf the train drivers union has brought trains in Sussex to stand by walking out today and again on Friday – Read our update here
