Isle of Man teachers allowance proposed amid pay dispute

The latest offer was put forward by the education department

A specific "fringe allowance" for teachers on the Isle of Man has been put forward for the first time in a revised offer in an ongoing pay row.

The Department of Education, Sport and Culture (DESC) has made the "final offer" to teaching unions.

Payments would be backdated to September to cover the 2021-22 year and would see teachers receive rises ranging from £1,400 to £2,300.

The offer was welcomed by the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT).

Teachers' pay on the island is currently linked to rates paid in England.

The proposed new fringe pay scale would be set at 1% above the London fringe scale and would be implemented on a sliding scale, with the lowest paid receiving the largest uplift.

'Historical under-funding'

NAHT national secretary Rob Kelsall said the offer "recognised the unique economic circumstances that prevail" on the island.

Mr Kelsall said: "If we want to improve and continue to improve the educational attainment and outcomes for children and young people we have to invest in those people who lead and teach in our schools.

"That's where we get the quality of education that children deserve and we believe this investment should start to redress some of the historical under-funding that we have within the education profession."

A ballot on the previous offer had been halted and members now have until 13 May to vote on the new proposals, he added.

National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers members began action short of strike on 27 April after rejecting previous offers by DESC in the dispute over pay, workload and conditions.

It is not clear if the new offer will have an impact on that action, which includes refusing to cover lunchbreaks, after-school activities, and lessons for absent colleagues.