Pay offer unfair on long-serving Manx teachers, union says

The NASUWT teaching union called the latest pay offer "a real terms pay cut"

The latest offer in an ongoing row over teacher's pay on the Isle of Man is a "slap in the face" for long-serving staff, a union has said.

Lower paid teachers would get larger uplifts under a new pay scale proposed as a "final offer" by the government.

Damien McNulty of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) said the offer was a "real terms pay cut".

More than 400 members would now be asked about strike action, he added.

The NASUWT, which is one of a number of groups involved in the dispute with the Department of Education Sport and Culture (DESC), has previously rejected a 2% pay deal for the 2021-2022 year.

DESC has since proposed a "fringe allowance" pay plan to be set at 1% above the London fringe scale, and implemented on a sliding scale under which lowest paid staff receive the biggest increases.

The offer had previously been welcomed by the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) which said it "recognised the unique economic circumstances that prevail" on the island.

But Mr McNulty said the offer was a "real terms cut" that would not address "historic pay erosion" or benefit long-serving teachers in higher pay bands.

The NASUWT is now consulting members about next steps, which could include a "rolling programme of strike dates" in schools across the island once the exam seasons has ended, he added

More than 90% already agreed in a ballot to begin action short of strike last month, with 84% of members voting to support escalation to strike action if required.