19th April 2023
After receiving a huge mandate for industrial action in furtherance of the current pay dispute, INTO members will be instructed to take strike action on Wednesday 26th April 2023.
Members will withdraw their labour for the entire day.
The INTO are requesting its members…
- To support their colleagues by not attending work during the day of strike action.
- Make themselves available to attend organised pickets at school gates and/or the rally at Belfast City Hall at 1pm. (Placards / flags etc will be made available.)
- Members taking part in the strike are under no obligation to inform their principal of their intention to strike.
- School representatives should not inform their principal of the names of members in school.
- Not to log on to school/C2k network at any time during strike action.
- Not to read or respond to any work-related emails during the strike period. Members can add an ‘I am on strike’ automatic reply to their email account.
- Not to set work for students or prepare for or engage in remote learning.
- Members may have respectful conversations with colleagues who are not taking strike action not to cover classes or perform duties normally completed by those on strike.
- Members who decide not to take part in strike action should not perform any additional duties other than those which they are normally required to do.
Principal members are advised to…
- Inform the Board of Governors/Employing Authority that they will not be on site on Wednesday 26th April 2023.
- Seek advice from their Employing Authority in respect of normal ‘house-keeping’ issues which may include how pupils are accommodated, the administration of reporting teacher attendance, and the possible need to conduct any necessary Risk Assessment
- Presume that teachers will be taking part in strike action unless they have indicated to the contrary.
- Be mindful of the fact that, even where a teacher has indicated that they will be available for work, they are entitled to decide on the day that they wish to engage in strike action.
- Afford teachers and support staff who are not taking industrial action the ability to only carry out their normal contractual duties.
- Liaise with the different teacher union representatives in their school, but not to request the names of union members taking part in strike action.
Under Article 95 of the Industrial Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1992 attendance for the purpose of attending a picket line must…
- be carried out by a person attending at or near his own place of work.
- Members should only attempt to persuade other teachers to join the strike in a peaceful, non-threatening manner.
- the school rep represents those picketing, should supervise the picket line making sure it does not cause obstruction of a path, road, entrance or exit to premises.
- The picket supervisor should carry a letter of authority, issued by the INTO, which should be made available to the police, if required to do so. This will be available on the website prior to the day of action.
- All persons deciding to cross a picket line must be allowed to do so without hinderance.