Teachers on the Isle of Man ramp up industrial action in pay dispute

P3 teacher Jessica Cargill with her class at Springfield Primary School in Belfast. Today marks the first day back for Pre-school, nursery and primary school pupils in P1-P3 have retruned to classrooms across Northern Ireland. Picture date: Monday March 8, 2021. Picture by: Liam McBurney/PA Archive/PA Images
The Department of Education, Sport and Culture were "deeply disappointed that the NASUWT union has chosen to escalate its action at this time". Credit: PA Images

Teachers on the Isle of Man are escalating their industrial action in a dispute over pay and working conditions.

The Department for Education is "deeply disappointed" that the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) is taking industrial action.

Teachers who are part of the union have stopped doing certain jobs asked of them due to the dispute.

These people are no longer covering breaks, and refusing to set or assess work to cover other teachers' absences.

In April, NASUWT said that there has been a "failure of the Manx Government to improve pay and tackle excessive workload".

They say there has been a 30% pay freeze since 2010 for Manx teachers.

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The union say that teachers on the Isle of Man have been "taken for granted". Credit: PA Images

In June, the Department of Education, Sport and Culture (DESC) offered an increase in pay, which would have seen Manx teachers paid 1% more than teachers in England. NASUWT rejected the offer.

The Union’s general secretary, Patrick Roach, says teachers are being "taken for granted".

"Teachers are being expected to work harder for less money as the cost of living soars," he said.

"Our members are simply not prepared to put up with being taken for granted any longer."

The union's boss warned that unless a new offer on pay and conditions can be negotiated, members would "have no choice but to move to strike action later this term".

A spokesperson for the DESC said they were "deeply disappointed that NASUWT has chosen to escalate its action at this time".

"The department will continue to make every effort to keep schools open and safe for all concerned."

They also highlighted their disappointment at their industrial action "so soon after our young people have returned to their important education."

The department will not comment further until after the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on 19 September.

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