He has urged people to break today's public sector strikes - but Conservative minister Michael Gove was once on the picket line himself.
The Education Secretary, who has repeatedly called for teachers to call off their industrial action, walked out while working on a regional newspaper in 1989.
He had called for a 'Mum's Army' of strike breakers to keep schools open today.
He claimed that he 'didn't agree' with the walkout but as a new reporter and new union member he felt duty bound to join in.
Today 750,000 public sector workers walked out on strike and one million children were forced to miss lessons in strikes he has condemned.
Twenty years ago the young grinning journalist was pictured holding a placard saying 'NUJ official picket don't cross' as he joined nine colleagues on the frontline.
Mr Gove was working for the Press and Journal newspaper in Aberdeen at the time while Margaret Thatcher was in Downing Street.
As hundreds of thousands walked out on strike today, the 43-year-old said he did not think it was right that teachers staged a walk out over pension reform.
'I feel disappointed that people have chosen to go out on strike today. I understand that there are really strong feelings about pensions and we absolutely want to ensure that everyone in the public, especially teachers, have decent pensions.
'But I just don't think it's a good idea to have gone out on strike today.
'We're still in negotiations and the people who really lose out as a result of today's strike are children who are not in school enjoying their lessons, and in particular hard-working parents, who have been put to quite a lot of inconvenience as a result of this action.'
At the weekend he had called for parents to take over classes and keep classes going despite the industrial action.
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