Teachers agree to pay deal

THE five teaching unions in the North have agreed to the implementation of a new pay offer, which would mean the starting salary for teachers will increase to £30,000 whilst other teachers’ pay will increase by 10.4 per-cent.

This would bring teachers’ wages in the North in line with their counterparts in England.

However, INTO President and teacher at Sion Mills Integrated Primary School, Dorothy McGinley has warned that if promised changes to improve teachers’ workloads are not met, educators will take industrial action again.

Mrs McGinley told the UlsterHerald, “I, of course, welcome the news that teachers have achieved pay parity with our colleagues in England. However, I would warn the Department of Education that if promised changes to teachers’ workloads are not met, we will be forced to take industrial action again.

“Last year, 580 new teachers were trained in Northern Ireland, and only 130 stayed to be employed in the North.

“Hopefully, the increase of the starting wage for teachers will ensure more young people opt to stay here.”

Education Minister, Paul Givan, welcomed the agreement, stating that he believed this could be a catalyst to improve the education sectoras a whole.

Mr Givan said, “I am pleased that the five trade unions which make up the Northern Ireland Teachers’ Council (NITC) have formally accepted a pay offer today on behalf of their members.

“This settlement will see the end to all industrial action by teachers and school leaders which has been ongoing since May 2022.”

The minister added, “Teachers and school leaders play a vital role in the Northern Ireland education system, and I want to put on record my appreciation for the hard work they do on a daily basis.

“The cessation of industrial action will increase stability in our schools and provide the basis for continued improvement throughout the education sector.”