Hundreds of thousands of workers - including school teachers - are going on strike for what will be the biggest day of industrial action in more than a decade. Teachers in England and Wales, who are members of the National Education Union (NEU), will embark on their first day of strikes on Wednesday, which threaten to disrupt more than 23,000 schools.
The walkouts, which could see more than 100,000 teachers take action in a dispute over pay, come on the same day that university lecturers, train drivers, civil servants, bus drivers and security guards are going on strike. Some parents will be forced to take leave from work, or arrange other childcare, as a result of planned school closures across England and Wales.
The NEU is estimating that around 85% of schools in England and Wales will be fully or partially closed on Wednesday. Rail passengers also face another day of travel disruption as train driver members of Aslef and the Rail, Maritime and Transport union will strike once more in a long-running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.
