TEACHERS across south Essex are joining thousands of union members on their first national strike for 21 years.

The National Union of Teachers is in dispute about pay.

It is not clear how many schools will be affected, but the local branch of the union, which has 900 members in Southend and 6,000 in Essex, claims many schools in the area will be closed by Thursday's action.

Jerry Glazier, union general secretary for Southend and Essex, said: "I am confident a significant proportion of all secondary schools will be closed and primary schools will be closed or classes sent home."

The row is over a 2.45 per cent pay offer to teachers for this year.

Mr Glazier said: "This offer is morally wrong. Teachers are not the cause of inflation, but are the victims of it.

"It is affecting recruitment and retention of teachers. Almost half of all teachers leave after three or four years.

"We are not being extravagant. If they offered us 4 per cent it would stop the strike."

Friars Primary School in Shoebury will be closed on Thursday and parents are angry they will have skip work to look after their children.

One parent, who did not want to be named, said: "I'm fuming. The amount of holiday teachers get is disgusting. They complain about pay, but millions of people are on the minimum wage, including me, and don't complaint about it. I haven't got any sympathy for them and I used to be a teaching assistant."

It will be lessons as usual for Westcliff High School for Boys despite 14 out of 64 members of staff on strike.

Head teacher Andrew Baker says he is not supportive of the strike which means classes have to be juggled to ensure all pupils get a full day of education.

He said: "It is a significant impact and makes the management of the school for the day much more difficult, but I am confident we will come through it.

"I intend the school to be open for all pupils for the whole day. I do consider the action by the NUT to be necessary."

A third of the union's 200,000 members took part in the ballot which was three-to-one in favour.

The two other teaching unions, the NASUWT and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, will not take part.

The strike coincides with a strike by public sector workers including coastguards, immigration staff and driving test examiners.

A classroom teacher can expect to earn between £20,627 to £29,427, depending on experience.