HUNDREDS of teachers have staged demonstrations at school gates in protest at an "insulting" pay offer.
Unions have rejected an offer that would see teachers receive no pay rise for 2015/16, and a one per cent cost of living uplift for 2016/17.
Four of the main unions - INTO, ATL, UTU and NAHT - were involved in Tuesday's lunchtime protests "in a bid to shine light on this heightening crisis".
The NASUWT, the largest teachers' union in Northern Ireland, has announced that its members will be involved in rolling strikes starting later this month.
Yesterday, teachers from 60 primary and secondary schools handed out leaflets to parents and the public urging them to ask their assembly member why Stormont does not put a value on education.
Education minister Peter Weir has said teachers were offered a package that was "realistic and still allows teaching staff to progress along the pay scale, in addition to a cost of living increase".
Gerry Murphy, INTO northern secretary, said the pay rise offer amounted to less than the price of a litre of milk per day.
"The government needs to take action in relation to teachers' pay because this is a crisis which is deepening. It's a postcode lottery for Northern Ireland teachers. To be paid 16 per cent less than their UK counterparts is more than disheartening," he said.
"The one per cent offer came from the same people who were handed money from Westminster for our teachers but then they handed it back. There's no logic in this. There is no pride in our teachers and no hope for the young generations coming up through the schools."
Avril Hall-Callaghan from the Ulster Teachers' Union, said teachers deserved to be treated fairly.
"Teachers in Scotland did not have this kind of demoralising decision made by their political masters. The Scottish parliament awarded them a 2.5 per cent staged pay deal last year. We have asked that the Minister consider a staged deal as a way forward in this dispute," she said.
Mark Langhammer, director of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said his union was typically a "moderate teaching association".
"That recent ATL indicative polls show over 51 per cent in favour of strike action and 89 per cent in favour of bolstered industrial action (short of strike) show the depth of feeling amongst ordinary teachers," he said.
"The case for decent pay for teachers is an unimpeachable case. It is just a matter of priorities, not money."
:: A list of schools due to strike this month, provided to the Irish News by the NASUWT, included Bunscoil Bheann Mhadagain and St Therese of Lisieux PS. The schools have asked us to point out they will not be taking part in strike action.
