TEACHERS are set to take strike action today in schools across Swansea in response to council failures to honour union agreements.

NASUWT Cymru said it is taking action over adverse employer practices, threats to their job security and the failure of Swansea Council to comply with existing collective agreements.

Union national officer for Wales Neil Butler said: “Teachers must be confident that in the face of violent incidents they will be supported when they intervene to keep themselves and their pupils safe. 

“Swansea Council has not followed its own policies correctly and has failed to honour collective agreements.”

But the council denied the union’s claims and refuted allegations of employer abuse, victimisation or failure to comply with employment agreements with teachers, which it said would need to be substantiated.

A spokesperson for Swansea Council said: “We are extremely disappointed that the NASUWT has embarked on this course of action in our secondary schools which will only serve to deny children educational opportunities.

“This dispute is based on an individual case and while this continues, for legal reasons and to protect the integrity of the processes, we cannot comment on specifics.”

Union national executive member for Swansea Helen Johns said: “Talks so far have sadly been ineffective in securing what we seek from Swansea Council — of the damage resulting from a serious breach of policy.

“The breach was triggered by nothing but the local authority’s unfounded intervention in a school process.”

The industrial action ballot saw 92 per cent of union members vote to support strike action.