Nursery World - Teachers refuse to cover for colleagues

Members of the largest teachers' union in Northern Ireland have voted overwhelmingly to step up industrial action by refusing to cover for absent colleagues from 15 March unless management makes a 'sensible offer' to settle their pay parity dispute. The National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) said last week that 79 per cent of its members had backed strike action, with 93.74 per cent endorsing industrial action short of a strike. Teachers in Northern Ireland want a back payment of 1,000 which they claim is owed to them for the year 2002-2003 to bring them back into line with England and Wales, costing an estimated 15m in total.

The National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) said last week that 79 per cent of its members had backed strike action, with 93.74 per cent endorsing industrial action short of a strike. Teachers in Northern Ireland want a back payment of 1,000 which they claim is owed to them for the year 2002-2003 to bring them back into line with England and Wales, costing an estimated 15m in total.

Aodh McCay, NASUWT president in Northern Ireland, said, 'This ballot means there will be no cover for fellow staff who are sick, on courses, or on a planned absence. The employers are saying there's no money, so where did the 15m go? They knew it was going to have to be paid. Teachers are angry about this.'

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