Teachers in Northern Ireland on strike warned of contract breaches

Teachers in Northern Ireland have been warned there may be "contractual implications" if they take industrial action.

It could lead to part of their salary being deducted for breaching their contract.

That is according to a letter from the teaching employers to school principals, seen by BBC News NI.

Members of the NASUWT union have been told they risk losing pay if they are not carrying out all contracted duties.

But all of the other main teaching unions in Northern Ireland - the INTO, UTU, NAHT and NEU - are also now balloting their members on industrial action.

In February, teaching unions in Northern Ireland rejected a two-year pay offer from the employers as "inadequate".

According to the unions, the teaching employers claimed the deal was a 3.2% increase over two years.

But the unions said the deal consisted of a restructure of pay grades which meant many teachers would get less than that.

Since then, inflation and the cost of living has risen sharply.

Members of the NASUWT in Northern Ireland were the first to begin industrial action short of strike in May.

The action affects a number of duties, including covering for other staff, overseeing exams, lesson plans, inspections and parent meetings.

A subsequent letter to school principals about the NASUWT action said it had implications for "teachers' contractual obligations" and could lead to "appropriate and proportionate deductions of salary".

It came from Sara Long, chair of the Management Side, which is the umbrella body for teaching employers in Northern Ireland, including the Education Authority (EA), the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) and the Department of Education (DE).

Ms Long has now sent a similar letter to school principals regarding the potential action by other unions.

"Management Side acknowledges the challenges facing all employees within the education sector due to the increase in the cost of living," she wrote.

"Industrial action however will not resolve issues and instead will only bring disruption to the operation of our schools and have a detrimental impact on the educational opportunities for our children and young people.

"It is Management Side's view that a robust assessment of the contractual implications of any notified action will be undertaken.

"This is currently being considered in relation to the NASUWT action and similar steps will be taken for any action notified by the other trade unions.

"Further communication will be issued in relation to the contractual implications of the NASUWT action in due course."

Ms Long also said that she remained "hopeful" that an agreement on pay could be reached with the unions.

But she said that any pay offer would be dependent on the Stormont Executive reaching agreement on public sector pay policy and an Education budget.

There has been no executive in Northern Ireland since February when the then DUP First Minister Paul Givan resigned as part of the party's protest against the Northern Ireland Protocol.