ONE of the Government's flagship academies yesterday became the first in England to be hit by industrial action.

Up to 60 teachers at Unity City Academy, in Middlesbrough, were refusing to take on extra work to cover for colleagues' sickness and redundancy. The NASUWT union also said staff were refusing to sign new contracts for the duration of the industrial action, which will continue indefinitely.

A Unity City spokesman said the action had no impact on the running of the academy and said teaching was unaffected. The NASUWT is pressing ahead with plans for a walk-out on Wednesday after its members voted in favour of a strike.

They had been balloted on plans to make ten teachers redundant, which they said will increase workloads, and to change working conditions.

Last night, Sue Percival, the NASUWT's national executive member on Teesside, said: "We have asked for a meeting.

"Morale is at rock-bottom. People just want things to be sorted out properly.

"We have told them a strike is on the cards, and if they refuse to meet with us, it will take place next week."

Yesterday, parents of children at the academy were sent a letter warning that there would be no option but to close the school if Wednesday's strike went ahead.

Unity City Academy Trust chairman Joe McCarthy said he was "completely baffled" by the union's stance.

He said: "This is a dispute about issues which, in reality, do not exist. There will be no compulsory redundancies as a result of the post reductions we have had to make to bring our finances on to a proper footing, and no imposed changes in working arrangements."