NAHT to open formal postal ballot next week
A school leaders union will ballot its headteacher and deputy headteacher members on Island on whether to take industrial action.
NAHT says a formal postal ballot will open from Monday, 7 July to Monday, 11 August amid what it describes as 'a dispute with the Island's education department.'
The organisation adds senior leadership on the Isle of Man backed this move in an indicative electronic poll and follows 'a unanimous recommendation by the union's Isle of Man executive at an emergency meeting.'
NAHT Assistant General Secretary, Rob Kelsall, believes they were left 'with little choice' but to choose this option, but that the NAHT remains ready to hold further talks with the Isle of Man Government to 'resolve these issues.'
The union says the ballot will highlight four areas of 'critical' concern. It claims:
- Victimisation of NAHT members and officials, potentially amounting to trade union detriment and breaches of protected employment rights.
- Repeated and serious breaches of the Fairness at Work Policy, particularly the failure to uphold its core values of fairness, tolerance, understanding, and respect.
- Misuse of the Disciplinary Procedure for Teachers, in direct contradiction to the stated principle that such procedures should support professional development, not impose punitive sanctions.
- Breaches of the Code of Conduct for Public Servants, including a failure to model appropriate leadership behaviours and uphold expected standards of professional and ethical conduct.
Manx Radio has contacted the Department of Education, Sport and Culture for response.
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