Up to 90 per cent of schools in parts of London were forced to send pupils home yesterday (October 18th), as unions led teachers in industrial action over pay, pensions and working conditions.

The strikes by the National Union of Teachers and the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) had been announced more than two weeks ago, but thousands of working parents needed to take time off work or arrange emergency childcare, reports the Evening Standard.

In Hounslow, only eight out of 70 schools opened fully and only seven out of 75 managed to stay open in Redbridge, showing the strength of feeling among teachers, who feel that the government has failed to listen to their grievances.

People in teaching jobs in London are particularly concerned about the introduction of performance-related pay and changes to pensions that they say would result in them working longer hours and retiring with less money.

Chris Keates of the NASUWT said that even though working parents had been disrupted for one day, they would sympathise with the reasons behind the strikes.

"We deeply regret the fact that any parents are being inconvenienced, but the responsibility lies with the secretary of state," she added.

When speaking to the BBC, Ms Keates dismissed accusations that teachers should not be allowed to strike. She said there was "nothing unprofessional about lawfully showing your anger and frustration at the attacks on teachers that actually are attacks on children and young people".

Tristram Hunt, the shadow education secretary, also placed the blame at the door of the government, stating: "Strikes are a sign of [Michael] Gove's failure to have a constructive relationship with the profession."

As a teacher or somebody looking for a teaching job, how do you think unions and government can reconcile their differences? Will there need to be more strikes?

Let us know your views.