90 weeks pay for teacher redundancy

Published Wednesday, 18 January 2012

Teachers in Northern Ireland will be offered a redundancy package of up to 90 weeks salary, it has been revealed.

The money, which is three times the statutory amount, will be available at August 2012.

The Department of Education has notified employers of the funds.

Education Minister John O'Dowd said he is "optimistic" that redundancies can be managed through a voluntary process.

"Having listened carefully to the concerns of the teacher unions and the Employing Authorities I am making the necessary funding available," the Sinn Féin minister said.

"This funding will be made available from within existing budget provision set aside to facilitate a reduction in the long term cost base of the education sector.

"It is intended to obviate, as far as possible, the need for compulsory redundancies.

"I am optimistic that, through collaborative working between my department, the Employing Authorities and the teacher unions, redundancies in 2012 can be managed through a voluntary process."

The announcement has been welcomed by teachers unions.

Comments

11 Comments

Frosty in Here wrote (123 days ago):

More money for the job agencies then. Been doing the same thing with nurses lately, pay them off then re-hire them through an agency, which they have to pay as well as the wages. Now that's a waste of money but the staff can't say anything. The system is top heavy, but that's what you get when you build your house of cards upside down. Incidentally, my old primary school teacher used to batter the kids into submission, after retirement she went on to lecture student teachers at university on classroom control. It's a funny old world.

Vee in Belfast wrote (125 days ago):

As an ex-teacher - I am all for older teachers accepting redundancy to give the younger ones a chance to get started in the profession. That is as long as they don't then come back and pinch the one-day sub jobs so the other young qualified teachers don't get a look-in. When I am not calling that GREED I call it something a lot less polite. It was one of the reasons why I and many of my colleagues had to give up the fight to find a teaching job - 30 years ago! It is a practice which should be banned!

John in Armagh wrote (125 days ago):

By offering 3 times the statutory amount, the Sein Fein minister will not have to make any compulsory redundancies and the taxpayer picks up the tab, nifty piece of political jiggery pokery. Interesting to note that O'Dowd says he can't stop school Board of Govenerors from re-employing those teachers that take the packages but Gerry Kelly is up in arms (no pun intended) as the PSNI have employed a few civilian staff who were former PSNI officers and he wants that practice stopped, what a lark!

Disappointed in our governors in South Derry wrote (125 days ago):

There are hundreds and maybe thousands of tradesmen over 50 who have worked in Northern Ireland up until revently. Why aren't they entitled to a golden handshake to retire so that young unemployed tradesmen can get a start. Joe quite rightly points out that these teachers, like so many other retired teachers, will be re-employed on a substitute basis. What a joke when the health service is imploding due to under funding and poor management. Don't forget, these teachers don't work much more than eight months of the year and are rewarded under a generous contract anyway.

Andy in Co Down wrote (125 days ago):

It will be interesting to see if this generosity is cascaded down to Classroom Assistants and other staff in Dept of Education. Consistency is paramount Mr O'Dowd.

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