Teaching Union Warns of Strike Action

Teaching union NASUWT is warning that it will further escalate the current action to strikes later this term if no progress is made in addressing the current dispute over pay.

It said its members will begin escalated action short of strike action from next Monday, September 12.

The union said this escalation is due to ‘the failure of the Manx Government to improve pay and tackle excessive and onerous workload and working practices.’

The escalated action will mean that from Monday members will no longer undertake break duties or any marking, setting and assessment of cover work arising from any planned or unplanned staff absence. They will also not implement any new working practices which have not been workload impact assessed and agreed with the NASUWT.

Teachers will still continue to prepare for their timetabled lessons, teach and mark and assess pupils’ work. The NASUWT is currently reballoting members on industrial action, with the ballot due to close later this month, but the escalated action short of strike action will go ahead in the meantime.

Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT General Secretary, said: ‘We have had no choice but to escalate our action due to the failure of the Manx Government to engage with us and take seriously the concerns of our members.

‘Teachers had the biggest single annual real-terms cut to their pay imposed on them for 2021/22 and have not even yet been offered a pay award for the current academic year. Teachers are being expected to work harder for less money as the cost of living soars.

‘Our members are simply not prepared to put up with being taken for granted any longer. Unless the Manx Government agrees to work with us to provide teachers with a better deal on their pay and working conditions we will have no choice but to move to strike action later this term.’