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*Jonathan Kozol:

The strike (previously reported on Libcom here and here), a contrast of almost blanket support from union members and almost blanket condemnation

On Friday 30th, the strike by the Oaxacan SNTE local (Sección 22, around whose strike coalesced the 2006 revolt) entered its 12th day, with more motorways blocked, more tollbooths closed down and more education buildings occupied throughout the state.

The teachers' strike has various demands, although it's mostly calling for the freedom for all political prisoners, an end to the arrest orders and ongoing intimidation by the judicial authorities against the movement, new elections within the SNTE, and the handing over of all Oaxacan schools controlled by the pro-government Sección 59.

UNISON members were given the green light for a ballot on industrial action after rejecting the pay offer from employers.

The offer is below the current inflation rate of 4.2% and less that the increase in average earnings across the economy.

The offer is for a 2.45% increase, with an additional £100 flat rate increase on the very lowest three scale points.

Six unions representing 250,000 members working in colleges across England in jobs such as cleaning, catering and admin as well as professional roles are seeking a pay rise of 6% or £1,500 - whichever is the greater - to guarantee the lowest-paid workers a minimum wage of £7.38. However, employers have come back with an offer of 2.5%.

Council workers will be protesting against the new pay and grading system imposed by Birmingham council last week, affecting 40,000 staff.

UNISON has branded the structure discriminatory. Though it was designed to end wage inequalities, some workers will lose up to half their pay.

After four years of below-inflation pay increases, up to 200,000 members of one of the biggest UK teaching unions, the National Union of Teachers (NUT), are set to strike on April 24th. The membership voted for a one-day walkout. 75% of those voting were in favour of a one-day walkout, with 25% against. Turnout for the vote was 32%.

The pension reform raises the retirement age for women to 65 and workers in hazardous industries will have to work an extra two years. Many accuse the conservative government of going back on pre-election promises not to cut pension rights.

The government's reforms would mean the merging of pension funds and increasing the pension age for some workers. The government, however, has not made public any details on the size of savings that will accrue from the reforms. The trade unions have also argued that the current pension system could survive if bosses were made to pay their contributions.

In the capital Harare, the strike has been compounded by the ongoing strike by council workers who downed tools last Wednesday, demanding a rise in their salaries.

The unions assert that the report shows a distinct lack of knowledge of the reality in mainstream school and reveals the agenda behind the academy program.

The occupation started as of yesterday (15 February) and is a preliminary attempt to reclaim all the schools organised by the 5,000-strong Sección 59, created by the PRI (Partido Revolucionario Institucional) Oaxacan state government and the SNTE leadership in Mexico City in an attempt to defeat the strikers in Sección 22 and thereby the 2006 uprising.

The renewed threat of closures resurrects a plan which local people had believed to be over when a community campaign overturned the proposed closure of 22 schools and four community centres in the city last year.

Teachers are striking as part of a wider civil service strike in protest at government attacks on virtually every aspect of their quality of life. Workers are defending their pay, their working week, job security, staffing levels, pensions and service requirements. Unions have called for the action which is expected to be widely observed.

Most demonstrations are to take place in the afternoon, with militants trying to convince as many students as possible during the morning to join demonstrations and mass actions.

Members will take part in industrial action today (Monday), which was voted on at the weekend, however the overall strike will cease from Tuesday.

Three other unions representing assistants have accepted a deal which added an extra £15m to compensate for changes in work conditions. Nipsa represents more than 3,300 classroom assistants in NI.

There were walk outs in at least 15 cities and there were a number of incidents, with 20 teenagers arrested. In Middelburg 500 pupils occupied a crossroads, after which they clashed with police with batons.

Word about the demonstrations - against the official 1,040 hours of lessons a year - was spread using MSN and email.