School leaders in Jersey vote to accept revised pay offer

NAHT said 93% of surveyed members accepted the pay offer

School leaders in Jersey have voted to accept an extra 2.5% pay to end industrial action, a union says.

The National Association of Headteachers (NAHT) said its members on the island were "overwhelmingly" in favour of the Government of Jersey's revised pay offer.

The 2.5% increase, described as an Education Reform Allowance, is in addition to a backdated 7.9% pay rise.

NAHT said 93% of surveyed members accepted the deal.

The union suspended strike action on 17 October after the revised offer was made to school leaders.

Head teachers would also receive a further one-off allowance for next year if joint work between NAHT and the government to address "the impact of changes to school leaders' roles and workload... has not been completed by October 30, 2024", the union said.

'Long-running dispute'

The offer also includes a government commitment to "examine the possibility of a healthcare plan for school leaders", it added.

Rob Kelsall, NAHT's assistant general secretary, said the agreed deal "should bring to an end our long-running dispute with the Government of Jersey".

He said: "It's a tribute to school leaders in Jersey that we have secured an outcome that is the interests of the education system on the island."

Other school staff are still taking action, with members of the NEU planning further strikes in November and school employees with the NASUWT working to rule.

The NAHT said industrial action would end once officials confirm a collective agreement was in place.

Follow BBC Jersey on Twitter and Facebook. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].