Seven Tyrone schools to be picketed over teachers pay

Hundreds of teachers in primaries and secondary schools are to protest later.

It's over what they view as an 'insulting' pay offer from the Government, following thirteen months of talks.

That's after talks between the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland and the Education Authority ended last month - with five unions walking out over a one per cent pay rise offer for 2016-17 - but no pay rise for last year.

Around sixty schools across the Northern Ireland, will be affected by this action - which sees teachers picket school-gates later.

Seven of which are in County Tyrone - although no protests are anticipated at schools in County Fermanagh.

Teachers will take to the gates at lunch-time in post-primaries - and after school in primary schools - to avoid disruption to classes.

They do so with the support of four main teaching unions - INTO, ATL, UTU and the National Association of Head Teachers.

Ahead of today's school-gate pickets, Gerry Murphy, the Northern Secretary of INTO (Irish National Teachers' Organisation), said it's unfair that teachers in Northern Ireland are paid 16 per cent less than in other OECD countries and said the  pay rise offer amounts to less than the price of a litre of milk per day.

"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," he said. 

"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," he went on.

"I challenge all parents, across Northern Ireland, regardless of religion or race, school or community, to stand up and support the education of our children. Our children's education matters.  Our teachers matter. Our schools matter," he added.