Debate contribution: Teaching Unions: Ministerial Engagement

Debate contribution by Mr Paul Givan on 14 September 2026.

MLA: Mr Paul Givan
Party at the time: Democratic Unionist Party
Date: 14 September 2026
Type: Debate contribution (made as a minister)
Business: Oral Answers to Questions
Heading: Teaching Unions: Ministerial Engagement
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5685639

Text

I am not directly involved in the engagement with teaching unions, following the recent ballots in favour of taking industrial action. There has been substantial engagement by my officials and the management representatives on the Teachers' Negotiating Committee (TNC) with the five recognised teaching trade unions through the Labour Relations Agency, and further negotiation meetings are scheduled throughout September. I am, however, very closely involved in and informed about those discussions. Significant progress has been made to date through negotiations to resolve issues that the unions have raised regarding the teacher workload action plan, which was published on 28 April 2026, and further meetings between the management side and the Northern Ireland Teachers' Council (NITC) are scheduled to reach a resolution on those outstanding issues this week.

127 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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