Members of the school leaders’ union NAHT have voted in favour of strike action in a dispute over pay.

The union said it will now be working with its members to determine next steps, while also continuing to seek a settlement to the dispute with the Department of Education Sport and Culture.

Results of a ballot announced this afternoon showed that 96% of NAHT members in the island were prepared to take industrial action short of strike - and 87% were prepared to go on strike.Some 82 members were entitled to vote and 72 voting papers were returned. Of these, 62 (87.3%) said they were prepared to take part in a strike, with nine voting against, and 68 (95.8%) said they were prepared to take industrial action short of a strike with three voting against.There was one spoilt or otherwise invalid voting paper.Rob Kelsall, NAHT national secretary, said: ’School leaders and teachers have spoken. This result should set the alarm bells ringing in the Tynwald and it is now time for the Chief Minister to step-in and resolve this long running dispute.’

Unions have been in dispute with the DESC since the start of the year over pay.

Teachers and school leaders in the Isle of Man say they have been ’forced to accept’ 10 years of below-inflation pay awards, amounting to real-terms pay cuts.

School leaders are also in dispute over last year’s pay award which saw them receive just 1.5%, while other grades got the full 3.5%.

Members of a second teachers’ union, the ASCL, have voted for industrial action over pay - but have pulled back from a strike.

Results of a ballot by the NASUWT are still awaited.

A fourth union, the National Education Union, which represents more than 60% of teachers in the island, has agreed a deal in principle with the DESC.

Max Kelly, of the NAHT’s Isle of Man branch, said: ’School leaders on the Isle of Man are feeling downtrodden and undervalued.

’They are dedicated professionals, absolutely committed to providing the best education possible for all children.

’For too long the government has taken that, and them, for granted. NAHT has been negotiating with employers since the start of last year, but to no avail.

’We are keen to avoid action, and the door remains open to further talks, but school leaders deserve a fair deal for the vital work they do.’