Second day of strike action by Isle of Man teachers suspended

Members of the NASUWT took part in strike action across the island on Wednesday

A second day of strike action by teachers on the Isle of Man in a row over pay and conditions has been suspended.

It follows talks between the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) and the education department.

Members of the union started the second of three two-day walk-outs earlier.

The government said all pupils were now "expected to attend school as normal" on Thursday.

Thousands of pupils across the island's five government-run secondary schools were told to learn from home on Wednesday as a result of the first day of action.

Members of the union have also been taking part in action short of strike since late April.

'Further negotiations'

The dispute between the department and the NASUWT stems from what the union has said is a 30% erosion of teachers' pay over the past decade.

In November, the department implemented a pay award that will see teachers receive a salary uplift of about 8% and the starting salary for newly-qualified teachers rise to more than £36,000.

That deal had been rejected by the NASUWT, which is one of the island's largest teaching unions, but accepted by four others.

The dispute over pay and conditions for teachers had been ongoing for several years

The latest talks between the union and the department took place on Friday.

A government statement said following the "subsequent work which has continued since that meeting" the department had now been advised by the NASUWT that the second planned day of strike action on Thursday had been suspended.

A spokeswoman for the NASUWT said the suspension of Thursday's action was a "gesture of goodwill and to enable further negotiations" after the department committed to consider the suggestions "put forward on addressing members' concerns".

"Our dispute with DESC remains live and the scheduled strike action planned for 15 and 16 February remains in place," she added.