Teacher members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union have voted to accept the terms of the 2021-24 pay offer as part of the process for securing resolution of their ongoing dispute with the Department of Education in Northern Ireland. 82% of NASUWT members who responded to the pay survey voted in favour of implementing the offer, with a turnout of 63%.

The NASUWT National Action Committee will now consider the results of the survey ahead of the Teachers’ Negotiating Committee meeting on 26 March.

Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT General Secretary, said:

“Northern Ireland teachers are long overdue a pay award. It is disgraceful that teachers have had to wait for three years to receive a credible pay offer.

“Nevertheless, the teaching profession deserves real terms pay restoration which must now be a priority.

“Pay is only one of our concerns for Northern Ireland’s hard-working and dedicated teachers. The Department and employers must now deliver on the commitments they have made to tackle excessive workload if they do not want action short of strike to be a long term part of the education landscape in schools.”

Justin McCamphill, NASUWT National Official, said:

“Teachers deserve a decent pay increase and should never have been forced to take to the streets to demand it. It is now incumbent on the Minister of Education to prepare for the commencement of negotiations for 2024-25.

“Restoration of teachers’ pay to where it should be will require above inflation pay awards going forward. The new Executive needs to plan for this when they set a budget in the new financial year.

“The NASUWT are rightly proud of our members for fighting for this deal but we remain determined to fight on until pay is restored to 2010 levels in real terms.”