Teaching unions today lined up for their first confrontation with new education secretary, Charles Clarke, after voting to strike over London weighting.
Members of the National Union of Teachers and the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers will stage a one-day stoppage on November 26 in support of their campaign that London allowances should be increased by at least a third.
The announcement of the ballot coincided with Mr Clarke's first public speech since being appointed, following Estelle Morris' resignation last week, and on the day a poll by the National Association of Head Teachers revealed that schools in the capital were struggling with a teacher shortage.
The Association of Teachers and Lecturers is balloting its London members over allowances and is expected to join the other two unions in the walkout next month.
The result of the NUT's ballot showed 81% in favour and 19% against strike action on a turnout of 40%.
The number voting in favour of a strike was significantly lower for the NASUWT, with 57% favouring a walkout on a turnout of 32%.
NUT general secretary Doug McAvoy said: "To Charles Clarke, my message is don't be tough on teachers, be tough for teachers.
"The solution is in your grasp - increase the allowances significantly."
NASUWT general secretary Eamonn O'Kane added: "The vote is a clear demonstration of teachers' anger over London and fringe allowances.
"The government must act quickly to bring the allowances at least into line with those awarded to the police, otherwise the flight of teachers from the capital will continue."
A one-day strike in the capital by the NUT in March over London weighting brought schools to a halt, but the government rejected the demand for more money, saying teachers' pay had jumped since 1997.
The Department for Education and Skills maintains that a new teacher's starting salary in London was now £20,733, and there had been a 3.5% increase in allowance, meaning the pay of an experienced teacher in inner London could have increased by up to 31% since 1997.
A spokesman added: " We will continue to deliver on pay because we value the work teachers do. Industrial action does nothing but damage the education of children."
