Teachers in the capital are voting on whether to take strike action over London allowances.

If members of the National Union of Teachers vote in favour of a walkout, schools in London could be forced to close for the second time this year.

London allowances

Inner: �3,105 Outer: �2,043 Fringe: �792

Industrial action by up to 3,000 NUT members in March saw widespread disruption to lessons, as up to half of the capital's 2,000 schools were closed.

The union is demanding an increase in the London weighting allowance to take it up to �6,000 per annum, in line with the allowance given to Metropolitan police officers.

Currently teachers receive allowances of between �800 and �3,000.

Ballot papers were sent to NUT members in inner and outer London on 11 October and were to be returned by Tuesday 29.

If they are in favour of action, the strike will take place on Thursday 14 November.

Comparing salaries

The threat of further action by London teachers comes as talks are continuing to try and avert threatened strikes by firefighters who want a pay rise of 40%.

The head of salaries at the NUT, Barry Fawcett, said it was standard practice for workers to compare their salaries with others in the public sector.

Basic pay

Just qualified: �17,628 After seven years: �25,746 Upper scale: �27,894

"I think everybody does it - employers do it, government does it and staff do it because there are limits to the sacrifices that people are prepared to make.

"If they can't live, or can't live reasonably, on the sort of salary that they're getting and there are lots of jobs available with other employers for better rates of pay, then inevitably they're going to move to those other employers.

"So if government wants to recruit and retain teachers in London, then it's got to have a competitive package."