TRINITY special school could be forced to close next week after staff overwhelming voted for strike action over pay. Nearly 80 workers out of 110 at the school in Heathway, Dagenham, voted to go on strike over council bosses failure to give them a specia

TRINITY special school could be forced to close next week after staff overwhelming voted for strike action over pay.

Nearly 80 workers out of 110 at the school in Heathway, Dagenham, voted to go on strike over council bosses' failure to give them a special teaching allowance.

GMB decided to postpone a planned stoppage for today (Thursday) pending the outcome of crisis talks with chairman of governors Glenda Spencer.

Teachers receive �1,912 per annum and the earliest date for a stoppage would be Thursday, March 5.

The staff feel they should, like teachers, receive a payment accounting for specialised work with children who have learning and physical disabilities.

GMB senior organiser Justin Bowden said: "The vast majority of our members are part time workers.

"They do less hours and their working year is shorter than that of teachers.

"There is some recognition from our members that parity with teachers is not reasonable but they work alongside teachers with the same pupils under the same rules.

"Therefore, some sort of special educational needs allowance payment is reasonable. "That has been the node of the dispute for two years."

A Barking and Dagenham Council spokesman said: "The council is actively involved in discussions with Trinity School and the GMB to resolve this issue. We hope to avoid any disruption to pupils and their parents.