TEACHERS across schools in Tower Hamlets smashed a ballot for strike action against cuts to redundancy pay by the London council as the Star went to press.

The NEU staff at 68 schools in the east London borough delivered a thumping 95 per cent vote in favour of strike action on a 51.5 per cent turnout.

NEU members were balloted for strike action against contractual changes by the local authority that include sharp cuts to redundancy pay for teachers.

Branch secretary Alex Kenny said: “This is a great result, the best any local branch has achieved in a postal ballot in the history of the NEU or its predecessor unions.

“We have a clear mandate for strike and we will discuss our strategy for using this to win the dispute at our meeting on Monday February 24.

“I want to thank all reps for your work on the ballot — this result is down to you.”