Education unions in the island are joining together to hold a formal industrial action ballot of all their members simultaneously.

Today (Tuesday) the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) - which represent school leaders in the island’s secondary and primary schools respectively - with teachers’ union NASUWT, have informed the chief executive of the Department of Education, Sport and Culture about the ballot.

The unions state that teachers and school leaders here have been forced to accept 10 years of below-inflation pay awards, amounting to real-terms pay cuts.

They’ve been in dispute with the DESC since the start of the year. The NAHT began a work to rule at the start of the autumn term but suspended its industrial action after agreeing a 10-point plan with the DESC to resolve its pay dispute. Since then talks have stalled.

ASCL general secretary, Geoff Barton, said: ’ASCL has never balloted for industrial action prior to this dispute anywhere in the UK which is a sign of just how serious the dispute has become.

’We have moved heaven and earth to try to reach an amicable solution but the Isle of Man Government has simply failed to respond in the way that we would have hoped. It is vital to get this pay award right in order to ensure that the island is able to recruit and retain the teachers and leaders it needs. The government could have settled this matter for very little cost but instead it has prevaricated to the point that our members feel utterly let down.’

NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman said: ’For too long the government has taken that, and them, for granted. NAHT has been negotiating with employers since the start of the 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.’