School leaders to meet before industrial action in UK

Tue, 28 Jan 2020

School leaders are due to gather today before industrial action short of a strike will start in the UK.

 

Members of school leaders' union NAHT, which represents leaders in every school on the Isle of Man, will be joined by senior NAHT officials, including general secretary Paul Whiteman.

 

It follows an official ballot in which 96% of members voted that they would be prepared to take industrial action short of strike, and 87% said they were prepared to strike.

 

NAHT has served notice to the Department of Education, Sport and Culture (DESC) that their members will be taking action short of strike from Thursday (30 January). 

 

Unions on the Isle of Man have been in dispute with the DESC since the beginning of 2019 over pay. 

 

Last week, DESC announced that it had reached a deal with one union. 

 

Rob Kelsall, NAHT National Secretary, said: 'Education professionals on the Isle of Man have been forced into a position where taking action is the only option left open to them. 

 

'Trust and confidence between School Leaders, Teachers and the Department is at an all-time low. We are dismayed that the Chief Minister has not taken up our invitation to meet to discuss the situation. Tynwald must take action; now is the time to fix this.'

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