TEACHERS have voted a resounding ‘yes’ in favour of a campaign which will see INTO members lead a six-week ‘Pay Campaign’ across Northern Ireland following the rejection of a pay deal which has been described as "inadequate and insulting".

Gerry Murphy, Northern Secretary, put an emergency motion to delegates held at the Northern Conference Conference at the Killyhevlin hotel last Friday, March 4, which was seconded by the Chairperson, Marie O’Shea.

The INTO figures presented a stark analysis of the challenges facing the education sector and the human cost of same, highlighting the pressures, workloads and responsibilities faced by teachers in addition to the challenges posed by the pandemic.

The campaign, which was unanimously voted for, will be rolled out in the weeks running up to the election campaign and will force the issue of teachers' pay to form a sample of the election campaign, and, secondly, will seek to get the pay dispute resolved.

Marie O’Shea, INTO Chairperson, gets a standing ovation at the teachers unions Northern Conference 2022, held at the Killyhevlin Hotel, Enniskillen. Photo: Kevin Cooper, Photoline NUJ.

Marie O’Shea, INTO Chairperson, gets a standing ovation at the teachers' union's Northern Conference 2022, held at the Killyhevlin Hotel, Enniskillen. Photo: Kevin Cooper, Photoline NUJ.

If the campaign is unsuccessful, Mr. Murphy said the INTO would look towards industrial action.

Speaking to more than 200 delegates, the Northern Secretary said: “The campaign will take place over six weeks in the run up to the [Assembly] election countdown, so we will begin on March 30.

“It will involve public meetings in six locations across the North. We're looking at a co-ordinated social media campaign and campaigning will take place in concert with NEU, UTU, NAHT and INTO [unions].

"We'll be seeking the support of our regional daily and weekly newspapers papers. We will be providing information and support materials.

"We will require our members, their families, and everyone in our communities to speak directly to politicians when they come knocking on your door, looking for your vote.

“We will seek to dominate the May Day rallies on April 30, which take place in Belfast and Derry. We want to dominate those both in terms of turn-out, in terms of visibility, and in terms of making your voices heard.

"These rallies will take place a week before the actual election – we have had enough, and we want this resolved.”

Mr. Murphy told members that the campaign will need much support from INTO members and the wider community, adding: "This is a serious issue and a serious moment for us all, and we must approach it with the gravity it deserves in order for a campaign to be successful.

“Industrial action would require a solid foundation. This foundation must include enormous support from all of the membership and a willingness to make sacrifices. We need to develop that support.

"We need the membership to fully understand what they're undertaking, and to appreciate what it will cost them.

“The Department of Education may prepare for what is to come. We all have had enough of inadequate pay offers and a lack of respect.

"So, to our Minister [for Education] – enough is enough. Prepare for industrial action if an acceptable offer for our members is not received.”

His stark words were echoed by Chairperson, Marie O’Shea. Addressing members, the Fermanagh woman also highlighted the challenges faced by the sector, and how teachers had overcome difficulties – yet she warned that action was needed.

Striking a note of caution over the ongoing pandemic, she warned: "We don’t want a return to remote learning, but we will if we have too, and especially if it needs to be done to keep everyone safe. We are not in recovery yet – Covid is still here to be dealt with."

In relation to the mood and concerns of teachers, the Chairperson continued: "There comes a limit for everyone, and many teachers are reaching that point, if they haven’t already passed it. Angry teachers are not afraid to let their voices be heard and will be saying loud and clear – we have had enough!”

She added: “The demands being made on school leaders beyond school hours have increased significantly and compound the workload issues.

"INTO need to investigate this matter further with our principal and vice principal members to get a clear picture of what are the workload drivers behind this situation.”

Also addressing the broader issue of chronic underfunding affecting schools, she said: “We need increased funding to address the major challenges and inequalities we face in the legacy of the pandemic, but also to redress the decades of underfunding which we have come through.

“We need careful, planned for, multi-year budgets so we can get the best for our school communities.”