Pay talks begin in earnest between teachers and Government today after strikes shut down five schools yesterday morning.

The industrial action came less than two hours before union leaders sat down with Government to discuss the mediation process.

But last night the Bermuda Union of Teachers (BUT) agreed to a truce while they bargain for higher salaries.

BUT president Anthony Wolffe said teachers had resorted to strikes because the issue had come to a head.

He said: “Unfortunately there comes a time when things like this become necessary. I want to expressly thank parents for their support to the teachers.

“And I want to commend the teachers for their solidarity. Their response was commendable.”

He said preliminary talks with Labour Relations Officers had gone extremely well.

BUT general secretary Michael Charles said teachers wanted close to parity with similarly qualified Government staff.

He said other Government staff with Bachelor's degrees were starting work on salaries of $52,000.

“Teachers with Bachelor's degrees and certificates are starting on $44-45,000.

“We have to do something to get our teachers close to the others. We are trying to get a fair wage.”

He said the teachers were now in their second month without a salary contract.

“We need to get this done as quickly as possible.”

Asked about the mood among teachers Mr. Charles said: “They are in a wait and see mode, I would imagine. We will be updating our members.”

Yesterday around 1,900 pupils had to be sent home as teachers forced the closure of Cedarbridge Academy, Berkeley Institute, West End Primary, Victor Scott Primary and St. George's Preparatory School.

The action caught Government by surprise. Acting Education Minister Colonel David Burch had said the previous evening that no action was expected as the dispute was with the Labour Office.

Teachers are angry about the Government's salary offer - reported to be a three percent increase - after more than a year of talks.

However some parents got wind of yesterday's action early. One source told The Royal Gazette that the action at Cedarbridge was diluted because many parents had learned about the action on the morning news and so did not send their children to school.

St. George's Preparatory School principal Mary Lodge said the first she knew of the action was when she arrived yesterday morning to find none of the unionised teachers at work.

She said many parents had heard about the action on the radio and so didn't bring their children. Others had to come to pick up their children after earlier dropping them off.

By midmorning she had only one child left from a school roll of 150.

“No one left until someone came to get them. We had 50 children at one point.”

She said parents had remained calm about the action.

Victor Scott Primary principal Dr. Gina Tucker had also not not known about the action until she found her 23 staff hadn't turned up to work.

But she said after last Friday's strike, in which four schools were shut down, the school had contingency plans.

“The Ministry supported us in being ready for any action. The surprise was that it was today, not that it happened.”

Asked whether the union should have warned schools targeted for strikes she said: “There are mixed feelings there. I understand the union must serve its members and take suitable action.

“It would be nice to get notice but I understand why the BUT took the action as they did. I think when negotiations have reached this points its incumbent on both parties to sit and talk diligently to reach some kind of agreement. I know our teachers are committed to ensuring our students success and they want to be in the classrooms. I know they will work with the Ministry to ensure that they are able to get back into the classrooms and do what they love to do.

“It wasn't too difficult to cope. Parents were very supportive. Those who were dropping off just spun around and took their children right out.

“Those who had already dropped them off came back. There were a couple of parents who were very, very upset because they feel they may lose their jobs. There may be some repercussions with their employment because they would either be off work or they would have to take them to work.”

Dr. Tucker said such parents were told they could leave their kids at school and they would be looked after.By mid morning she was left with around ten children out of 190 five to 11-year-olds.

West End Primary principal Livingstone Tuzo said he got wind of the action at about 7.45 a.m. and rang the Ministry of Education. However most parents of his 170 students came to school only to learn their efforts had been in vain. He said: “We had everyone out by 9.30 a.m.”

Mr Tuzo, who is also president of the Association for School Principals, was asked if he thought parents should have been warned by the BUT about the action.

He said: “I have to respect the way the Bermuda Union of Teachers operates.”