Robbie Meredith
BBC News NI education correspondent
PA Media
Teachers from the NASUWT union are among those who have voted to take strike action
Members of three of the main teaching unions in Northern Ireland have voted overwhelmingly for strike action over pay.
The NASUWT, INTO and UTU unions balloted their members on industrial action in November.
They said they were holding the vote due to the lack of "a satisfactory pay offer for 2024-25".
Teachers voted by a majority in each union for strike action and action short of strike.
No strike dates have been set as talks are still ongoing between the unions and the teaching employers, including the Department of Education (DE) and the Education Authority (EA).
Teachers in England received a 5.5% pay rise for 2024-25 from the government in September.
But the Labour government has recommended a pay rise of 2.8% for public sector workers in England, including teachers, for 2025-26.
That has been criticised by unions.
But teacher's pay in Northern Ireland is negotiated separately.
Despite the fact that it is more than halfway through the 2024-25 financial year, no pay deal for teachers in Northern Ireland has yet been agreed.
'Last resort'
The teaching unions in Northern Ireland accepted a previous pay deal in March 2024, but that was a backdated one covering the years from 2021 to 2024.
The Education Minister Paul Givan recently said that giving teachers in Northern Ireland the 13.5% pay rise unions had asked for was "simply impossible."
The INTO union's Northern Secretary, Mark McTaggart, said that industrial action was "always a last resort".
"INTO members have spoken loudly and clearly in voting for industrial action, and their message is simple: they demand a pay rise that fully recognises their worth to society and one which takes account of the current cost-of-living crisis," he said.
"Teachers across the north are once again the least well paid on these islands, and the employers once again seem content to sleepwalk into a crisis of recruitment and retention of our recently qualified teachers and school leaders.
"Our members have sent the strong message that they have had enough."
'Teachers have had enough'
The UTU's General Secretary, Jacquie White, said that teachers would strike in the new year if their pay claim was not settled.
"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," she said.
"Why should we accept salaries which are less than our counterparts in England or Scotland when we're doing exactly the same job?"
The NASUWT National Official Northern Ireland, Justin McCamphill, said the 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," he said.
"Teachers expect and deserve better.
"A satisfactory offer must be made if industrial action is to be avoided."
Teachers from the NASUWT union are among those who have voted to take strike action
Members of three of the main teaching unions in Northern Ireland have voted overwhelmingly for strike action over pay.
The NASUWT, INTO and UTU unions balloted their members on industrial action in November.
They said they were holding the vote due to the lack of "a satisfactory pay offer for 2024-25".
Teachers voted by a majority in each union for strike action and action short of strike.
No strike dates have been set as talks are still ongoing between the unions and the teaching employers, including the Department of Education (DE) and the Education Authority (EA).
Teachers in England received a 5.5% pay rise for 2024-25 from the government in September.
But the Labour government has recommended a pay rise of 2.8% for public sector workers in England, including teachers, for 2025-26.
That has been criticised by unions.
But teacher's pay in Northern Ireland is negotiated separately.
Despite the fact that it is more than halfway through the 2024-25 financial year, no pay deal for teachers in Northern Ireland has yet been agreed.
'Last resort'
The teaching unions in Northern Ireland accepted a previous pay deal in March 2024, but that was a backdated one covering the years from 2021 to 2024.
The Education Minister Paul Givan recently said that giving teachers in Northern Ireland the 13.5% pay rise unions had asked for was "simply impossible."
The INTO union's Northern Secretary, Mark McTaggart, said that industrial action was "always a last resort".
"INTO members have spoken loudly and clearly in voting for industrial action, and their message is simple: they demand a pay rise that fully recognises their worth to society and one which takes account of the current cost-of-living crisis," he said.
"Teachers across the north are once again the least well paid on these islands, and the employers once again seem content to sleepwalk into a crisis of recruitment and retention of our recently qualified teachers and school leaders.
"Our members have sent the strong message that they have had enough."
'Teachers have had enough'
The UTU's General Secretary, Jacquie White, said that teachers would strike in the new year if their pay claim was not settled.
"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," she said.
"Why should we accept salaries which are less than our counterparts in England or Scotland when we're doing exactly the same job?"
The NASUWT National Official Northern Ireland, Justin McCamphill, said the 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," he said.
"Teachers expect and deserve better.
"A satisfactory offer must be made if industrial action is to be avoided."
Teaching unions vote for industrial action over pay
Teaching unions have voted for industrial action in a pay dispute
(Liam McBurney/PA)
By Rebecca Black,
PAToday
Members of teacher unions have voted to take part in industrial action over pay.
The NASUWT said 92.7% of their members voted in support of strike action, and 99% voted for action short of strike, while the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (Into) said its members voted overwhelmingly to begin industrial action in support of the teachers’ pay claim for 2024/25.
It comes after a ballot which was carried out over a three-week period.
Into said its members will prepare to engage in a co-ordinated campaign of industrial action short of strike alongside their fellow trade unionists from other teaching unions.
The unions have urged the Department of Education to bring forward a “realistic offer” that recognises their worth and takes into account the cost of living.
Of course, industrial action is always a last resort in these circumstances but it is clear that our members feel they are left with no optionMark McTaggart, Into
Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT general secretary, described it as a “resounding message to Stormont Education Minister Paul Givan”.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
Mark McTaggart, northern secretary for Into, said members have “spoken loudly and clearly in voting for industrial action”.
“Their message is simple, they demand a pay rise that fully recognises their worth to society and one which takes account of the current cost-of-living crisis,” he said.
“Teachers across the north are once again the least well paid on these islands, and the employers once again seem content to sleepwalk into a crisis of recruitment and retention of our recently qualified teachers and school leaders.
“Our members have sent the strong message that they have had enough.
“Of course, industrial action is always a last resort in these circumstances but it is clear that our members feel they are left with no option.
“The industrial action is to be taken by a majority of the recognised teachers’ unions, engaging in co-ordinated action and operating to an agreed managed timeline in how it is applied.
“The actions are designed to ensure that our children and young people continue to be taught whilst the nugatory bureaucratic work, demanded by the employers and DE, will be denied to them.”
The NASUWT said 92.7% of their members voted in support of strike action, and 99% voted for action short of strike, while the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (Into) said its members voted overwhelmingly to begin industrial action in support of the teachers’ pay claim for 2024/25.
It comes after a ballot which was carried out over a three-week period.
Into said its members will prepare to engage in a co-ordinated campaign of industrial action short of strike alongside their fellow trade unionists from other teaching unions.
The unions have urged the Department of Education to bring forward a “realistic offer” that recognises their worth and takes into account the cost of living.
Of course, industrial action is always a last resort in these circumstances but it is clear that our members feel they are left with no optionMark McTaggart, Into
Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT general secretary, described it as a “resounding message to Stormont Education Minister Paul Givan”.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
Mark McTaggart, northern secretary for Into, said members have “spoken loudly and clearly in voting for industrial action”.
“Their message is simple, they demand a pay rise that fully recognises their worth to society and one which takes account of the current cost-of-living crisis,” he said.
“Teachers across the north are once again the least well paid on these islands, and the employers once again seem content to sleepwalk into a crisis of recruitment and retention of our recently qualified teachers and school leaders.
“Our members have sent the strong message that they have had enough.
“Of course, industrial action is always a last resort in these circumstances but it is clear that our members feel they are left with no option.
“The industrial action is to be taken by a majority of the recognised teachers’ unions, engaging in co-ordinated action and operating to an agreed managed timeline in how it is applied.
“The actions are designed to ensure that our children and young people continue to be taught whilst the nugatory bureaucratic work, demanded by the employers and DE, will be denied to them.”
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