Teachers’ union the NASUWT has suspended its current industrial action.

The island’s largest teaching union said it is pausing its current campaign of action short of strike while talks continue with the education department over members’ pay, conditions and workload.

But it has warned it won’t hesitate to ballot members for further action if the ’necessary positive progress’ is not made by Ministers in addressing their concerns.

Three other unions, the NAHT, NEU and ASCL, have voted in support of a pay offer from the Department of Education, Sport and Culture.

But it was rejected by the NASUWT whose general secretary Dr Patrick Roach described it as ’derisory and unacceptable’.

Dr Roach said: ’Whilst NASUWT members remain concerned about pay and workload, they also remain committed to doing everything possible to support pupils’ education during the current pandemic.

’In a ballot of NASUWT members in schools and at the University College Isle of Man, 88% of members voting expressed support for further industrial action over pay, pensions and conditions of service matters.’

He said this sent out a clear message of the continuing concerns and priorities among teachers in the island.

Dr Roach added: ’However, NASUWT members have also expressed their commitment to supporting ongoing discussions between the union and the DESC who are examining a range of issues affecting teachers’ conditions of service.

’The NASUWT welcomes the recent positive engagement by the department officials and the Minister and looks forward to seeing positive and constructive outcomes from the current negotiations.’

The government’s pay offer includes a one-off lump sum of £2,850 for senior leaders and £1,850 for those on the upper pay range.

This will be funded by £1.5m of new money.

By far the largest teaching union in the island, the NASUWT has 476 members in the state schools and 47 at University College Isle of Man.

It says the DESC offer addressed school heads’ concerns over 2018-19’s differential pay award.

But it said in contrast, its trade dispute was about historical pay erosion, conditions of services and pensions.