Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union in the Isle of Man will take two further days of strike action tomorrow (Wednesday) and Thursday in the ongoing dispute over pay, workload and working practices.

The strike action, which follows two previous days of strikes on 30th November and 1st December, follows the imposition of a pay award which represents a real terms pay cut of 3% for most teachers and which follows a 30% real terms loss in pay since 2010. NASUWT members rejected the current pay award.
  
The NASUWT is calling for a multi-year fully funded pay offer that begins to address the real-terms historic erosion of pay as part of a medium to long-term strategy for the sustainable delivery of high-quality education into the future.

Such a strategy must also address the chronic problems of excessive workload and working hours which are diverting teachers’ time and energy from focusing on meeting the needs of pupils and which are hampering recruitment and retention of teachers.

The NASUWT has continued to seek a resolution to the dispute with the DESC and following productive talks last Friday the Union offered to suspend the action if the Manx Government would confirm they would commit to considering the suggestions we put forward on addressing members’ concerns. It is disappointing that no commitment was forthcoming and therefore we have had no choice but to continue with this week’s action as planned.

We remain committed to discussions to resolve the dispute and will continue to engage at every opportunity.

Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT General Secretary, said: 

“Teachers are disappointed and frustrated that they are having to take further strike action due to the failure of ministers to address the strain that years of real-terms pay cuts and escalating workloads are taking on their morale, their health and their ability to make ends meet.

“Our dispute is about the future of the education service in the Isle of Man. It is about whether ministers want an education system with sufficient numbers of teachers and working conditions that enable the highest standards of learning and progress to be made by every child.

“Investment in teachers’ pay and working conditions is an investment in children and young people’s life chances and futures. At present teachers feel seriously undervalued and overwhelmed –this is bad for the profession but also bad for pupils.

“We continue to urge the DESC to accept the strength of feeling among our members and to agree to work with us constructively and honestly to resolve our dispute and focus on building an education service that is fit for the future.”