LET me reassure Mrs P Coleman (‘Striking teachers should face a fine’ July 18) that all striking teachers will be fined one day’s pay plus pension benefits.

She is wrong to suggest that teachers close schools for ‘training days’. These are compulsory and it is therefore the employer who closes the schools.

As for the notion that training days should be taken during holidays, she will be interested to know that these five days were originally holidays. They were called ‘occasional days’ and were granted for special occasions such as royal celebrations, the Southampton Show etc.

The Thatcher Government abolished them.

DOUG ROSE, Bitterne, Southampton.