Education Minister welcomes progress on teachers’ pay negotiations

Date published: 8 April 2020

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.”