Northern Ireland teaching unions vote for industrial action over pay

The Ulster Teachers’ Union, NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union and the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) represent thousands of teachers.

Members were recently balloted over pay for the 2024-25 academic year and the results indicate an overwhelming support for industrial action.

No further details of potential industrial action have been announced while talks continue between the unions and the teaching employers.

NASUWT said 92.7 % of those returning ballot papers voted in support of strike action, with 99.0% in support of action short of strike action.

The union argues that teachers in Northern Ireland have yet to receive a formal pay offer for this academic year while teachers in England and Wales received a 5.5% pay uplift.

Following the result, Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT general secretary, said: “NASUWT members have delivered a resounding message to the Minister of Education Paul Givan by voting for industrial action. They are adamant that they are not prepared to tolerate a situation where they are the worst paid teachers in the UK and are fully prepared to take either strike action or action short of strike in the new academic year.

"This strength of feeling must now be recognised, and the Minister and employers must move decisively to ensure that a suitable offer can be made to teachers. Failure to make an acceptable offer will inevitably lead to robust industrial action. Teachers wish to avoid industrial action, but they have been left with no choice.”

NASUWT national official Northern Ireland, Justin McCamphill said: “Today’s ballot result drives home the message that teachers have had enough. While there is ongoing constructive engagement with the Department and employers the current position is untenable. Teachers expect and deserve better. A satisfactory offer must be made if industrial action is to be avoided.

"The union will send details of the industrial instruction to employers and members in the New Year.”

Jacquie White, general secretary of the Ulster Teachers’ Union said members will begin a co-ordinated campaign of industrial action short of strike in the new year with a view to full strike action unless “a realistic pay offer” is brought forward.

"Even early indications in this ballot held over the last three weeks showed that teachers here are no longer prepared to be the lowest paid of their profession in the UK and Ireland. Sadly there’s been a marked lack of progress on pay negotiations for 2024-25 and teachers are simply not prepared to put up with this.

"Why should we accept salaries which are less than our counterparts in England or Scotland when we’re doing exactly the same job,” said Jacquie White.

"Last year’s pay deal was hard-fought and forced our members to take a stance on striking though many were reluctant to do so but when children’s education is suffering then something has to be done. Now that teachers’ pay elsewhere in GB has risen we again find ourselves at the back of line in the profession’s pay league.

"Meanwhile countries as far afield as Australia and Dubai are flocking to teaching recruitment fairs here offering lucrative contracts which a growing number of teachers are accepting.

"The Minister has announced some laudable and welcome schemes in the last few weeks but it is teachers who are at the very heart of our education system.

"If schools can’t fill core subject teaching jobs because teachers are being attracted elsewhere by better pay and conditions it rather negates anything else. We are losing the next generation of teachers and that can only impact negatively on our children.

"We urge the Minister to address this issue as a matter of priority, restore the pay to fair and equitable levels, and allow us to move forward.”

Mark McTaggart, Northern secretary of INTO said on the back of a strong turnout in the postal ballot, members are committed to embarking on a campaign of co-ordinated and planned industrial action in conjunction with colleagues in the UTU and NASUWT.

"The NEU’s ballot does not close until Thursday, December 19 when we hope they will be joining these three unions in a campaign of industrial action. The unions are currently engaging with each other to agree a co-ordinated approach to industrial action. Members will be informed of the timeline and details of the first phase of action short of strike following the Christmas break."