School heads taking part in unprecedented industrial action have taken to the picket line.

Members of the NAHT union took part in the demonstration outside Mount Murray Golf Club where a scheduled department meeting with school leaders, which is organised each term, was taking place.

The meeting on Thursday had been booked for 70 people but local branch president Max Kelly, head teacher at Dhoon and Laxey schools, said there were more outside it than inside.

The heads, who held their branch meeting after the picket line demonstration, say they have had support from colleagues who are not in their union, and some didn’t cross the picket line.

And they say their industrial action, taking the form of a work to rule, is designed specifically not to have an impact on teaching.

Mr Kelly said: ’I think parents are supporting the head teachers. It’s the first time there has been a dispute of this nature and we’ve made a concerted effort not to impact on the kids.’

They are planning a march in Douglas if the dispute isn’t settled.

At the heart of dispute is pay, with the heads saying they should receive the same 3.5% rise awarded to other teacher grades. The DESC says it was the UK Secretary of State that made the decision to make differential pay awards but the union says the Manx government can act independently.

Jason Ferraby, NAHT regional officer, said: ’The pay issue was the final straw.’

Members say there are other issues too - increasing workload and bureaucracy and the feeling that they are not being consulted by the department. They cite a number of directives and the Education Bill they say they have not been consulted over.

Mr Ferraby said: ’There has been a culture shift over the last five to 10 years. There is a noticeable reduction in consultation and a noticeable reluctance of people to put their heads above the parapet.’

The school heads have already lodged a complaint with the department about ’institutional bullying’ - and claim that bullying of members has taken place since they started their work to rule.

Mr Ferraby said: ’The sad truth is it didn’t have to come to this. We’ve been used to a good relationship with the department. But it has become more entrenched, them and us.’

He said people were leaving the profession, partly as a result of the current climate.

The NAHT has seen its membership increase by 25% since the dispute began and now has well over 100 members.

They include heads, deputy heads, assistant heads and teachers in every primary school in the island and one secondary school.

Members hope the other teaching unions will take a similar stand.

The DESC says it has offered to go to arbitration but the NAHT claim this has been offered to the other teaching unions but not them. ’But it’s not something we would do anyway. It’s not a win/win situation, somebody has got to lose,’ said Mr Ferraby.

Mr Ferraby described the current action as a ’first step’ and the NAHT did not rule out strike action if there was no movement from the department. But he said: ’We will try to avoid strike action at all cost. It’s up them, we are willing to talk. The ball is very much in their court.’