Teaching union calls for Northern Ireland Secretary to match pay deal in England

The Northern Ireland Secretary has been urged to match a pay deal accepted by teachers in England for colleagues in the region.

On Monday it was confirmed members of the largest teaching union in England accepted a 6.5% pay rise for teachers and voted to end strikes.

With the Stormont Assembly still collapsed, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris is facing a call to match the deal for teachers in the region.

The NASUWT said the 6.5% offered to teachers in England comes after a 5% increase last year while teachers and further education lecturers in Northern Ireland have not had a pay increase for three years.

Justin McCamphill, NASUWT national official Northern Ireland, said it is unacceptable that teachers across the UK are being treated differently.

“NASUWT Northern Ireland members are not prepared to stand by while their pay dwindles and their living costs rise,” he said.

“If the Prime Minister believes that 5% last year and 6.5% this year is good enough for teachers in England, it is simply not acceptable that ministers in his government would treat other UK teachers in a worse manner.”

Mr McCamphill warned that his union is prepared to escalate ongoing industrial action in the new term.

“We are also prepared to engage constructively in talks with the relevant government departments and employers to begin the process of pay restoration,” he said.

“Key to this will be the UK Government ensuring that the Northern Ireland public sector is adequately resourced. The Secretary of State needs to urgently intervene.”

An NIO spokesperson said the UK Government “has no authority to negotiate pay in Northern Ireland”, adding: “it will be for the NI Department of Education to make final decisions on teachers’ pay policies.”

“It remains the Secretary of State’s priority to see the return of locally elected, accountable and effective devolved government, which is the best way for Northern Ireland to be governed,” they said.

“The Secretary of State has commissioned a range of information and advice from the Northern Ireland Civil Service on potential measures to raise more public revenue, or otherwise to improve the sustainability of public finances in Northern Ireland, for an incoming Executive to consider.”