School leaders to vote on strike action in dispute

School leaders on the Isle of Man are to be balloted on taking strike action in a row over what a union claims is the "misuse of disciplinary proceedings".

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) said it followed an earlier indicative electronic poll, which gained support from 72% of those who responded, and a formal ballot would now take place.

Last month Rob Kelsall wrote to government chief executive Mark Lewin to outline the union's concerns over alleged "bullying and intimidation of school leaders".

The Department of Education, Sport and Culture previously said it "completely refutes" the claims.

The formal postal ballot will run between 7 July and 11 August.

The move to a formal vote over strike action has been given the backing of the NAHT's national executive committee.

In a statement the union said the move was "necessary to protect its members from further misuse of disciplinary proceedings" as well as the "disregard of agreed policies and procedures, and victimisation of its officials".

It said the indicative ballot had outlined four areas it deemed to be of concern, namely - the victimisation of NAHT members, breaches of the Fairness at Work Policy, the misuse of disciplinary procedures, and breaches of the Code of Conduct for Public Servants.

Mr Kelsall said it "wasn't a road we wanted to have to go down" but the union had been "left with little choice due to the inaction of the Isle of Man government".

"This is about standing up for the safety, dignity, and fair treatment of our members in the face of disgraceful treatment by the education department which may well constitute unlawful conduct," he said.

The union remained ready to hold further talks with the government but it "must be willing not just to listen but also to act upon our serious concerns", he added.

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