INDUSTRIAL action by the NUT union has today closed 12 primary schools across Brecon and Radnorshire.

A number of secondary schools have also been hit by the action and are only partially open.

The Wednesday, March 26 national one day strike is against reforms, including performance related pay, being introduced by Westminster education minister Michael Gove.

Meanwhile the Wales organiser of the NASUWT teaching union has warned industrial action it took with the NUT, that closed Ysgol Maesydderwen in Ystradgynlais for three days, could be repeated at other schools in Powys and across Mid and West Wales.

The unions are unhappy that Maesydderwen had adopted a pay policy, devised by the ERW education consortium which includes education authorities across the region, which fails to protect the pay of teachers moving between schools.

Mr Phillips said: "This action can spread right across the ERW consortium."

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