Unions representing the majority of teachers in Northern Ireland are preparing to hold ballots among their members regarding strike action. The NASUWT, INTO, and UTU unions have cited the absence of a satisfactory pay offer for the 2024-25 academic year as the driving force behind this decision. Additionally, the NEU, another teaching union in the region, is considering a formal ballot for industrial action.
The ongoing pay dispute extends beyond education professionals; health unions have also hinted at potential strikes over similar pay grievances. There are concerns that this unrest could eventually encompass the Northern Ireland Civil Service as well. According to an executive document reviewed by BBC News NI, there is only sufficient funding to provide civil servants with a 3% pay increase for 2024-25. Trade unions have already indicated that such an offer would be inadequate and difficult to justify if other salary groups receive significantly higher increases.
The document highlights that civil service pay guidelines in Great Britain permit an average award of up to 5%, which raises further concerns about equity among public sector workers.
In contrast, teachers in England received a 5.5% salary increase for 2024-25 from the government, supported by an additional £1.2 billion funding from the UK government. Despite being well into the 2024-25 financial year, Northern Irish teachers have yet to secure any new pay deal, following a previous agreement accepted in March 2024 that only addressed backdated salaries from 2021 to 2024.
In a joint statement, union representatives made it clear to Education Minister Paul Givan that a satisfactory pay offer is necessary. Mark McTaggart from INTO emphasized that teachers in Northern Ireland are once again among the lowest-paid across the UK.
He noted that failing to provide adequate compensation could severely impact the educational prospects of students.
Concerns echoed by Justin McCamphill from NASUWT highlight growing frustration among teachers who feel they are being neglected compared to their counterparts elsewhere in the UK. Jacquie White from UTU expressed serious worries about the ongoing stagnation in teacher salaries.
The Department of Education recently received an additional £171 million in funding during a monitoring round aimed at reallocating resources across departments. However, officials warned of a £190 million gap needed to address essential costs like supporting students with special educational needs and ensuring competitive salaries for teachers.
As negotiations continue and tensions rise, it remains uncertain how these disputes will resolve and what implications they may have for education in Northern Ireland moving forward. The situation underscores a broader issue of teacher compensation and its impact on education quality throughout the region.
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