7th February 2022
Today, following a meeting of the TNC (Teachers’ Negotiating Committee) a pay offer has been received from the employers (Management Side of the negotiating arrangements).
The Northern Ireland Teachers’ Council (the Teachers’ or Union Side of the negotiating arrangements) has committed to responding to the offer on or about Monday 14th February 2022.
We will be sharing the full detail and implications of this offer with members in the coming days following consideration by Northern Committee in their role as the elected voice of the membership. Northern Committee will inform CEC of their recommendation in relation to the offer.
The cost of the offer cannot be met from the Department of Education’s own budget and requires Department of Finance “sign off”. This would therefore require political co-operation.
Northern Committee see little hope that a further period of negotiation would be agreed by the Management Side on a pay deal if this offer is rejected. They will also consider the offer in the context of the current political situation which is unstable. A period of pre-election “Purdah” will occur in March, at the latest, with an Assembly election to follow. It is likely a new Assembly may take an extended period to be re-established after the elections. The political circumstances could barely be more unpredictable.
These and other considerations will inform the Northern Committee and CEC decisions.