Education Minister welcomes progress on teachers’ pay negotiations

A formal offer on teachers’ pay and workload has been made to the five main teaching unions.

Education Minister Peter Weir said: “I am pleased that there has been progress on the issue of teachers’ pay and workload with a formal offer being made to the teaching unions.  Since returning to the Executive in January I have made resolution of this long-running industrial dispute a priority and ensured that appropriate financial provision for a pay award was included in my decisions on the allocation of the Department of Education’s budget.

“The five trade unions which make up the Northern Ireland Teaching Council (NITC) will now consult with their members on the proposals in advance of any formal acceptance.

“I would urge all teachers to consider the formal offer which, if accepted, will bring an end to current industrial action which has been ongoing since January 2017. 

“In the current Covid-19 crisis, I want to acknowledge the role our principals and our teaching workforce is playing by keeping schools open for the children of key workers and for vulnerable children and for their tremendous work in maintaining distance learning for our children and young people.”

Notes to editors: 

1. Details of the formal offer are outlined in the executive summary available on the Departments website at: Joint Statement from Management Side and NITC on 8 April 2020
2. The Northern Ireland Teaching Council (NITC) comprises the five main teaching unions - Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO), National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT), National Education Union (NEU), Ulster Teachers’ Union (UTU).
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4. Media queries to: press.office@education-ni.gov.uk.  Out of office hours, contact the Duty Press Officer on 028 9037 8110 and your call will be returned.

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