Teaching union members visit Isle of Man to resolve pay dispute

Credit: ITV Granada Reports

Senior members of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) have travelled to the Isle of Man to meet with the Isle of Man’s Department for Education, Sport and Culture (DESC).

This follows an ongoing dispute between the DESC and primary school head teachers and deputy head teachers over pay.

The National Secretary for the NAHT, Rob Kelsall, will be meeting this afternoon with Lawrie Hooper MHK amongst others members to try and resolve the dispute.

Joshua Stokes has been speaking to Rob Kelsall before the talks take place.

Teachers took industrial action starting on Tuesday 3rd September the day before children were due to start back at school.

However, it is not expected to disrupt students returning for the new term.

The industrial action taken is as follows:

  • Non-attendance of senior leaders meetings with the Department of Education, Sport and Culture and Isle of Man Government.

  • Non-engagement with the appraisal policy of all staff (including senior leadership teams) and the moderation of appraisals.

  • Non-engagement with the School Self Review and Evaluation process, other than that required by the provisions of section 51 of the Education Act.

  • Refusal to implement or comply with the ParentPay policy, which is used to pay for children's school meals.

  • Refusal to engage with surveys, such as ones conducted by the Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA), which is currently working with the Island's 37 schools.

  • Refusal to engage in DESC-directed inset (in-service training).

  • Refusal to sign off pay control listings.

Rob Kelsall and other members of the NAHT will be addressing teachers from 4:30pm.