Staff at Villiers High School are due to strike on Wednesday 8 December 2010 protesting at alleged "imposed working changes and unfair treatment of staff".

Prior to that, a public meeting will be held on Sunday at 3 pm at the Dominion Centre to explain to parents why the staff are planning strike action, the first time in the school’s history that they have taken such a stand.

They claim that the management regime brings in "change for change’s sake and cause stress to staff".

The school has sent out a letter to parents explaining the management’s views. A separate leaflet was being handed out on Wednesday explaining the staff and unions views.

According to Nick Clegg a number ex-students, ex-staff and ex-governors have contacted him to express their support for the teachers stand.

The Union claims that they have tried for months to negotiate a resolution to the dispute, but the head now refuses to meet with elected local and national officers of the NUT.

To explain their actions in more detail and answer any concerns of the parents, Ealing NUT has organised an open meeting at the Dominions Centre at The green on Sunday at 3 pm.

Local councillors and Ealing Southall MP Virendra Sharma have also been invited to attend.

According to Ms Strang, the Head Teacher, "staff at Villiers are very well treated and they have no reason to strike".

According to her only "a few staff" are against the changes to the lunch breaks, yet 30% of her staff voted for strike action.

Shahid Khan, Chief of Governors at Villiers High School, has spoken to "a number of parents" who think the shorter lunch breaks has "improved life" for pupils.

We have spoken to pupils who claim that a shorter 40 minute lunch break is just about sufficient to eat. But there is no time for anything else like a breather for children between lessons or time for teachers to attend to any other tasks during that time.

Some pupils still find that on occasions they have to miss meals due to the queue size and time restrictions.

Not having proper breaks does not "improve" life for pupils. Parents are constantly reminded to ensure pupils take breaks between lessons.

Dhanwant Virdi, the catering manager at Villiers High school, says that prior to the changes sometimes there was "no place to eat and sit" for pupils but now the situation has improved.

Strangely enough, there used to be 2 dining areas prior to the changes. Management decision to close one of the dining areas meant that the option of serving the pupils more quickly went out of the window and only option left was to stagger the lunch breaks.

According to Mr Virdi the benefit of the shorter lunch is that pupils can go home early.

One drawback of having different lunch breaks is that staff may not be able to socialise with their colleagues as their breaks will be at different times.

A shorter lunch break means that nothing else could be done during the lunch break, not even a break. Not very creative thinking according to some pupils.