Teachers postpone planned industrial action

Four unions representing teachers in Northern Ireland have suspended planned industrial action.

Pre-strike action was due to begin on Monday and last for four weeks.

INTO, UTU, NEU and NASUWT had polled its members What he described as the lack of a “satisfactory salary offer for 2024-25”.

The unions have now said the action has been suspended “in an effort to successfully conclude negotiations”.

INTO Northern Secretary, Mark McTaggart, said he had “not taken this step lightly”, adding that unions were “fully prepared to engage in industrial action if necessary at the end of the four-week period”. .

Jackie White, general secretary of the Ulster Teachers Union, welcomed progress in talks over the past few days.

“All we ask for is a decent, fair and equitable salary award for 2024/2025.

“This positive step allows for intensive negotiations over the next few weeks,” he said.

Education Minister Paul Givhan welcomed the suspension of industrial action.

He said teachers “are entitled to a fair and reasonable pay settlement” and he is “committed to achieving this”.

“I have been clear with the unions that I am committed to securing the funding needed to deliver a formal pay offer in the context of the agreement reached in England and Wales last summer, with the understanding that we have secured an agreement “A sustained period of stability, free from industrial action, including ASOS, in our schools.”

Givhan said he had “asked the management side to accelerate discussions with our trade union partners to reach a formal agreement in the next four weeks”.

teacher in england Received 5.5% salary increase For 2024-25 from the government in September.

It was funded by an additional £1.2 billion from the UK Government.

Despite the fact that the 2024-25 financial year is more than halfway through, a pay deal for teachers in Northern Ireland has yet to be agreed.

BBC News NI has seen a quote from an executive document that says there is only enough money to offer civil servants a 3% pay rise for 2024/25.

Teaching Association in Northern Ireland Last salary deal accepted in March 2024But that was backdated covering the years from 2021 to 2024.