Teachers begin strike action over pay dispute on the Isle of Man

Some teachers on the Isle of Man have begun strike action in an ongoing dispute over pay and conditions.

Members of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) started the first of three two-day strikes earlier.

The action means thousands of students at the island's secondary schools have been told to learn at home.

The union said a below-inflation pay award imposed by the government was the "final-straw".

On Monday, the Department of Education, Sport and Culture (DESC) announced an offer that would see most teachers receive an 8% rise would be implemented despite opposition from the NASUWT.

The deal would also see newly-qualified teachers' starting salary rise by 11.9% to £36,557.

Speaking at the time, Education Minister Julie Edge said the latest pay rise provided "a sustainable and affordable pay structure which best supports recruitment and retention".

'Excessive workload'

The National Education Union, National Association of Head Teachers, Association of School and College Leaders, and University and College Union have all agreed the offer.

However, the NASUWT has called for a multi-year pay deal to counter pay erosion caused by below-inflation rises over the past decade.

The two-day walk-out marks the first time the union's members have taken strike action on the Isle of Man.

The union's general secretary Patrick Roach said real terms cuts to teachers' pay and the "failure to address excessive workload" had "left teachers stressed, demoralised and seriously considering leaving the profession".

"Whilst we have been continuing to seek a resolution to these issues with the DESC, the announcement that yet another below-inflation pay award is to be imposed has been the final straw for our members," he added.