3 June 2026
SDLP Opposition Education Spokesperson Cara Hunter MLA has said potential strike action from teachers is a direct result of the Minister’s refusal to listen to teachers.
The five main teaching unions will ballot their members later this month due to concerns over workload.
East Derry MLA Cara Hunter said:
“Teachers and their representatives have made clear the unsustainable rise in workload over recent years and the repeated failure of successive Education Ministers to address these concerns has led us to the prospect of strike action.
“Teachers are being asked to do more and more while school budgets are stretched to breaking point. They are working longer hours, managing larger classes and supporting young people with increasingly complex needs. In many cases they are also having to provide basic materials for pupils because of chronic underfunding, but this has not been properly acknowledged.
“The situation has been made worse by the Minister’s refusal to engage constructively with teachers and unions, who clearly do not believe his department’s proposals go far enough. The SDLP wants to see the Minister meeting with teachers and their representatives, listening to their concerns and bringing forward meaningful measures that reduce workload pressures and ensure every child receives the education they deserve.”