Time is running out for a deal to cut teacher's classroom workload, unions have signalled.

The National Union of Teachers has warned Estelle Morris that progress must be made this autumn - or schools could face the prospect of industrial action and classroom disruption.

NUT chief, Doug McAvoy, is dismayed that at the lack of developments.

"I am concerned about the government's refusal to acknowledge the need for early improvements, or `early wins' in teacher workload," he writes in a letter to ministers.

"I hope this is not an indicator of current drift on this issue."

The unions are not happy that 18 months of discussion over the teaching work burden have - so far - only secured agreement on "process".

"I want to make it clear that time is finite," said McAvoy

"It is vital that the government reaches a concrete agreement with teacher organisations and employers by the end of October on changes to teachers' contracts which remove excessive workload. To bring that about I believe it is imperative that a more specific and a more detailed position paper is tabled by the government to aid the on-going talks."

To date an "open-ended" timetable of two further meetings with civil servants has been agreed.

And schools minister, David Miliband, is set to outline final government proposals sometime in October.

Workload has topped the education agenda since the NUT and the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers staged a work-to-rule in the run-up to Easter 2001.

Continuing recruitment and retention crises have also focused ministerial minds.

The NUT, NASUWT and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers will this week seek a boycott list of 25 administrative tasks - which the education secretary has previously said teachers should not be doing.