19th May 2020
INTO welcomes the introduction of the COVID-19 Income Protection Scheme designed to support those essential members of the teaching workforce not in full-time employment.
Responding to the news INTO Northern Secretary, Gerry Murphy said:
“The continuous, non-stop lobbying of this teaching union for the provision of a payment to those teachers unable to earn an income as a consequence of the COVID-19 school closures has finally brought some relief, albeit overdue, to thousands of essential teaching staff. Teachers who rely on daily employment in schools across the north have been robbed of their incomes causing many to find themselves in extremely difficult financial circumstances thus placing them in the most stressful of circumstances. We must not forget that this cohort of teacher who are central to the effective functioning of schools in normal times will become increasingly central to the education system’s efforts to prepare for the wider re-opening of schools after the summer.”
Mr Murphy went on to say:
“The INTO has been lobbying across the education system and all of our political parties since the day our schools were closed to have this obvious inequality addressed. Our efforts were greatly helped by the leadership and initiative shown by our own members who tirelessly campaigned via all available media and social media avenues. Our combined efforts have brought us to this point.
INTO will continue to work on addressing the many other issues and imbalances that need addressing in respect to the employment of temporary teachers on a daily basis to ensure these valuable members of the profession are not exposed in such a manner ever again.”