The Management Side of the Teachers' Negotiating Committee (TNC) has expressed its disappointment that the Northern Ireland Teachers' Council (NITC) has decided to proceed with industrial action despite the significant progress made through recent negotiations aimed at addressing teacher and school leader workload.
Management Side have long recognised the pressures facing teachers and school leaders. In recent years, in line with agreement reached with NITC, we have worked consistently to reduce workload burdens on the profession.
The Independent Review of Teacher (and Principal) Workload, and the resulting action plan published by the Minister of Education, represented the most serious attempt in a generation to resolve these issues comprehensively. Of the 27 actions in that plan, the unions raised concerns on 11. Since the summer, and continuing until mid-September, Management Side and NITC made substantial progress through conciliation at the Labour Relations Agency — reaching agreement in principle on 8 of those 11 outstanding issues. Discussion had moved on to finalising 3 areas requiring further attention and how implementation of the Minister's plan could be assured.
While significant progress has been made, further time is required to refine the detail associated with the remaining three issues and to develop a robust and effective implementation plan. This work is essential to ensure that any final proposals are practical, sustainable and capable of being implemented effectively across all school settings.
It is against this backdrop that Management Side finds the unions' decision disappointing and difficult to understand. We had asked for a further four weeks to conclude work that was demonstrably close to resolution. That request has been declined by NITC.
The consequence of this decision will be felt directly by children and young people. A return to Action Short of Strike disrupts teaching and learning, extra-curricular activity, and the wider school experience that pupils are entitled to - at the very point where a negotiated, lasting settlement was within reach.
The support required to manage the disruption will also distract both Management Side and NITC representatives from vital discussions to finalise the remaining issues and develop a robust implementation plan.
Management Side remains ready to conclude this process at any time. We would urge the unions to reconsider, and to give the additional time needed to secure a durable outcome for the profession, rather than returning to a course of action that serves no one's interests - least of all those of the children and young people our schools exist to serve.
A spokesperson for TNC Management Side said:
"It is extremely disappointing that the NITC unions have chosen to proceed with industrial action short of strike before the LRA conciliation process has concluded, particularly when an agreed position in principle had been reached on 8 of the 11 issues raised by NITC. Throughout the summer, we engaged constructively and in good faith with the teaching unions and reached an agreed position in principle on practical solutions that will reduce unnecessary workload, provide greater support for teachers and school leaders, and enable teachers to focus on delivering high-quality teaching and learning for children and young people.
"We are also disappointed that further demands were introduced at a late stage in the process. Management Side consisting of DE, employing authorities and sectoral bodies have a collective responsibility to ensure that any new measures are workable, sustainable and free from unintended consequences. This includes carefully considering the impact of proposed changes on school leaders and the wider operation of schools. Unfortunately, the NITC was unwilling to provide sufficient time to refine the detail associated with the remaining three issues and to develop a robust and effective implementation plan before initiating Action Short of Strike, a step we believe is unnecessary given the significant progress that has been made.
"Our primary concern remains the wellbeing and educational experience of children and young people. We are deeply concerned about the impact that industrial action may have on schools, pupils and families. Despite today's decision, we remain committed to securing an agreed resolution that delivers meaningful and sustainable reductions in teacher and school leader workload.
We therefore urge the teaching unions to reconsider their position, suspend industrial action and continue to engage in negotiations which are solely focused on resolving the detail associated with the three remaining areas of concern and to develop a robust and effective implementation plan."
TNC Management Side has confirmed that it remains willing to engage with the teaching unions in an effort to reach an agreement and secure a resolution that will lead to the cessation of industrial action.