Under increasing pressure to make industrial action pay for his 16,000 expectant members. Also finding it harder to get the teachers' message across as the Government contends with the taxi-drivers.

Big danger is he could find the 30 per cent claim a difficult hook to get off. Will only be able to placate his colleagues on the ASTI executive with something concrete. Would they accept anything less than 30 per cent? is a question he must be pondering.