Most Northern Ireland teachers are to go on strike for the first time in five years following the half-term break in a dispute over pay.
The half-day strike action by the three main teaching unions here - the UTU, INTO and NASUWT - will take place next month.
Teachers will withdraw their labour from schools for 12 hours on Tuesday, February 21, before returning to their normal afternoon duties over the failure to offer "a fair and decent" pay award.
Read more: NI university students face more disruption as staff set to strike
Many schools are expected to close until midday on the day as most teachers in Northern Ireland are represented by the three unions.
Teachers in the NASUWT, INTO, UTU and NAHT unions had previously voted for the option of a walkout. The NEU is also balloting its members on strike action.
Gerry Murphy, INTO’s Northern Secretary, said: “Everyone knows that strike action is a last resort and something that trade unions always try to avoid but our members have voted in favour of strike action because they believe that this action is the only option they have available to send a clear message that they have, since 2010 endured a continual erosion of the real value of their pay which has, in fact, amounted to a 20% pay cut.
“This simply cannot continue. Our members rightly expect that their pay and conditions should not, especially during a cost of living crisis, be further eroded. Their pay should not only keep pace with the double figure inflation rate but must reflect our members’ contribution to society.
“The Department of Education needs to wake up and see that this reduction of pay has led to a crisis in recruitment and retention in education. More teachers and school leaders are leaving the profession and with the serious underfunding in education, employers are struggling to replace them.”
Justin McCamphill, NASUWT National Official Northern Ireland, said his members are calling for a fully funded 12% pay award for 2022/23.
“Our members would rather be in school working with their pupils, but have had no option but to take this action in order to stand up for their right to a salary, which reflects the skilled and difficult work they do and which enables them to weather the cost of living crisis,” he added.
“The current pay offer is simply insufficient. Teachers are not willing to accept yet another real-terms pay cut and are continuing to fight for a better deal.
“The cost of living crisis has brought this situation to a head and unless the Department and employers act to offer teachers a fair and decent pay award we cannot rule out further strike action in the months to come.”
School leaders recently wrote to the Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris expressing "significant concerns about the impact of the current crisis in education funding".
The Education Authority (EA) has also said it's not possible to deliver a £110 million saving plan proposed by Mr Heaton-Harris before the end of March.
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