The Echo editorial (April 25), about whingeing teachers sadly, misses the point.

Complaints are justified since there is nothing acceptable about teachers being subjected to three consecutive years of significantly below inflation pay awards and the prospects of three more.

Little publicised, is the fact Government reneged on Its agreement to review previous pay awards if inflation rose - it has and they have refused to act.

The Government also seems to believe it is acceptable that all public sector workers can be given pay increases that are, in effect, pay cuts.

It is because the NUT and its members care about the quality of education that the strike action was taken and not taken lightly.

There is a serious problem of recruitment and retention of teachers in Essex and it is getting worse.

Half of teachers are over 50. The profession needs many more teachers andneeds to keep them.

Far too many new teachers leave the profession after a few short years and now most teachers start with large student debts. The Government is making that worse by adding a 4.8percent interest charge this year.

Essex County Council predicts that teacher turnover in its schools this years will average 20 per cent. High turnover damages education provision and threatens standards. So will another period of teacher shortage which Essex has experienced three times in the last 30 years. All we ask for is fair pay for teachers.

Jerry Glazier
General Secretary
Essex NUT
Kilnwood Avenue, Hockley

...I question the judgement over bringing children on to the picket lines during the teachers' strike. As the children are not employed by the education authorities, surely this is secondary picketing which is illegal.

Even if it is not, it teaches children to oppose authority and the teachers may well be on the receiving end of the consequences of such a lesson when they return to their classrooms.

WH Diment
Church Road
Laindon