Education Minister Paul Givan has expressed disappointment after several teaching unions announced plans to ballot members on industrial action over workload, just weeks after the Department published a detailed Action Plan intended to address these concerns. The ballot, scheduled to run from 10 June to 1 September 2026, raises the prospect of disruption as schools prepare for the new academic year.
Timeline of Reform and Rising Tensions
The dispute follows a year-long process intended to resolve workload issues. In May 2025, the Minister commissioned an Independent Review Panel to examine teacher and school leader workload following negotiations to settle the 2024/25 pay dispute. The panel submitted its final report in November 2025 with 27 recommendations.
On 28 April 2026, the Department published its Teacher Workload Action Plan, which the Minister maintains goes beyond the panel’s recommendations. The plan includes measures to address working hours, support flexible working arrangements, recognise the increasingly complex role of school leaders, provide enhanced administrative support and roll out generative AI tools.
Despite written clarifications and meetings between Department officials, Management Side representatives and union leaders, the five unions comprising the Northern Ireland Teaching Council (NITC)—the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO), National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT), National Education Union (NEU) and Ulster Teachers’ Union (UTU)—have opted to proceed with the ballot.
Minister Defends Workload Reforms
Paul Givan, who was appointed Education Minister in February 2024, has made workload reduction a central pillar of his TransformED reform programme. In a statement issued on 2 June 2026, he urged teachers to consider the reforms already under way:
“Since taking up this portfolio, addressing teacher and school leader workload has been a priority for me. Supporting the teaching profession is essential to retaining talented teachers, sustaining strong school leadership and ensuring long-term stability across our education system.
“The Workload Action Plan is a key part of my TransformED programme, which is focused on modernising education, strengthening the profession and improving outcomes for learners. It sets out a clear programme of reform to reduce unnecessary workload and build a more manageable and sustainable workload culture.
“Importantly, the Action Plan goes beyond the Independent Panel’s recommendations in a number of areas and represents a strong, public commitment to teachers and school leaders.
“I am therefore genuinely disappointed that some unions have chosen to proceed to ballot. I would urge teachers and school leaders to consider carefully the full range of reforms and practical measures already in train. Meaningful and lasting progress on workload can only be achieved by working together and that work is well underway.”
Unanswered Questions and Missing Details
The Department’s statement leaves several gaps. While it notes that “written clarification and assurances” were provided to unions, it does not specify what those assurances contained or why they failed to satisfy union representatives. Nor does it identify which specific elements of the Action Plan the unions consider inadequate, though previous disputes have centred on whether workload reductions would be mandatory or merely advisory.
The Action Plan itself promises investment in generative AI tools and additional administrative support for schools. However, the press release offers no concrete timeline for when teachers might expect these measures to reduce their daily working hours, nor does it address how the Department will measure the success of these initiatives.
Financial Context and Broader Implications
The dispute unfolds against a backdrop of severe financial pressure within the education sector. The recently accepted 4% pay award for 2025-26, which added roughly £1,000–£2,000 to most teachers’ salaries, is expected to cost the Department approximately £38 million this year. With the Department already projected to overspend its budget by more than £200 million, questions arise about how the promised workload reforms will be funded without further cuts elsewhere.
Industrial action over workload would not be unprecedented. In 2022, the same five unions took coordinated action short of strike over pay and conditions, while earlier this year unions lodged a formal dispute notice over workload implementation. The current ballot, running through the summer, could see action commence as schools return for the autumn term.
Questions for Stakeholders
- What specific assurances did the Department offer unions regarding mandatory versus advisory workload limits, and why were these insufficient to prevent the ballot?
- How will the Department measure tangible workload reduction for teachers, and what benchmarks will determine whether the Action Plan is succeeding before further disputes arise?
- Given the Department’s significant budgetary overspend, which specific programmes face cuts to fund both the recent pay awards and the promised AI and administrative support?
- Can the TransformED reform programme proceed effectively if industrial action disrupts the 2026/27 academic year, particularly during examination periods?
- How do the proposed AI tools address the immediate concerns of teachers regarding directed time, marking loads and administrative tasks that do not require technological solutions?
The ballot results, due by 1 September 2026, will determine whether Northern Ireland faces its most significant education disruption since the restoration of devolution. With the Minister insisting that “meaningful and lasting progress… is well underway” and unions apparently unconvinced by the pace of change, the coming weeks will test whether the TransformED programme can deliver transformation quickly enough to satisfy an exhausted workforce.