The NASUWT, the largest teachers’ union in Northern Ireland, is escalating its current industrial action to protect teachers from the action of the Northern Ireland inspectorate ETI which is leading to disproportionate pressure and workload on NASUWT members and which ministers have failed to address.
Employers have today been given notice of a new and additional action instruction which will take effect on 18th May 2016, as part of the NASUWT ongoing industrial action campaign on pay, pensions, conditions of service, including workload, and job loss.
The NASUWT has had no option but to issue the new instruction given the unacceptable approach of ETI to the inspection of NASUWT members.
As a result of the boycott of inspection by some other unions, the ETI has been conducting partial inspections focusing only on NASUWT members.
The NASUWT has now written to the Permanent Secretary advising him that until this situation is resolved the NASUWT will be instructing members not to participate in any inspection activity where ETI conducts a partial inspection, to protect themselves from the unfair and unequal workload burden and pressure this places upon them.
Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, said:
“The actions of ETI are totally unacceptable.
“Penalising members of one union for the actions of others cannot be tolerated.
“Our representations to ETI and the Department on this matter have failed to secure a change to this unfair practice and, therefore, we have had no alternative but to escalate our industrial action.
“In addition the NASUWT is also considering exploring potential legal challenge on the basis of detriment to teachers on the grounds of union membership.
“NASUWT members in Northern Ireland are already buckling under the pressure of excessive workload and we will not allow partial inspection to add to this.
“ETI and the Ministers have failed to act to address this situation and must now face the consequences.”
Justin McCamphill, NASUWT National Official Northern Ireland, said:
“The NASUWT’s industrial action campaign has never included a refusal to engage with inspection, but given the unjustified pressure the ETI’s decision to penalise NASUWT members then escalated action was inevitable.
“The instruction to NASUWT members highlights the abject failure of Ministers, Officials and ETI to address these discriminatory actions.”
The text of the new instruction reads: "Where the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) gives notice of its intention to inspect the school but only on a partial basis as a result of industrial action by other unions, NASUWT members will not participate in any activity related to the inspection due to the unfair and unequal workload burden this places upon them."
