Teachers are struggling to pay bills and feel like second class citizens striking workers in Co Armagh say

Teachers at Lismore Comprehensive, Co Armagh said the half day strike was over pay and conditions.

“We are on strike today because we want better pay. We also want better conditions for teachers,” said Mrs Nelson adding that teachers here haven’t gone on strike in six years. The rate of inflation has gone beyond 10% yet our pay has not increased at all. We are living in a once in a generation Cost of Living Crisis and teachers are experiencing that in their homes as well.

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"What we are asking for is that our pay reflects that. That we have enough money in our bank accounts to pay our bills like so many workers are advocating for across a range of sectors.”

Ms Brannigan, geography teacher and NASUWT rep, said: “We know of teachers within our own union who have had to ask the union for help to pay for oil heating for their homes. The cost of electricity has gone up. We are obviously worried every month as to how we can cover our own bills. Food prices are going up. Your weekly shop is increasing. With two young children at home it is very difficult to budget and ensure you have enough money for every day. And to get to the end of the month you are struggling by the last week the same as a lot of members of the public.”

Brian McFerran, English teacher and INTO rep, said: “The last pay offer was ‘advertised’ as 3.2% but as a classroom teacher I was offered a zero percent pay increase amidst inflation at over 10%. So if everything is going up by 10% and above, I am not getting any additional salary and wasn’t offered any additional salary.

"Had the unions not stood firm then we would have been locked into that for a period of two years. We wouldn’t have been able to negotiate. There needs to be flexibility across the board to recognise how important teaching is. Teaching creates all other professions and at the minute I think we are being treated like second class citizens and it needs to stop