DUDLEY teachers’ union leaders say support for today’s industrial action is solid with 90 per cent of their staff on strike.

Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) in the borough have joined a nationwide one-day walkout to demand changes in plans to increase public sector pension contributions.

Union leaders say their members are being forced to pay for bankers' mistakes which caused the recent recession and lower pension payouts will push elderly people into poverty.

Jim Warner, joint branch secretary of Dudley National Union of Teachers, said: “Politicians are being very disingenuous about their arguments, they say they are cutting costs to offset the deficit, it is not affordable to let people in retirement go on benefits.

“This is the start of an attempt to dismantle the public sector.”

Mr Warner also slammed plans to raise retirement ages which he says will mean people working in demanding jobs until well into their 60s.

He said: “If I am in hospital I don’t want to be treated by a 67-year-old nurse, people can’t carry on in their jobs at that age.”

Teachers leaders say strike action is a last resort but the government must soften its line in negotiations to avoid longer and bigger strikes in the autumn.