The NASUWT has warned that some schools may have to shut.

Northern Ireland's largest teachers' union has announced the schools which will take part in its first wave of strike action.

Teachers are to take to the picket lines over what the NASUWT has described as a "derisory pay offer of 0%", excessive workloads and job security.

The action is to take place later this month at schools in Belfast and Newtownabbey. The union said it will announce the date of the strike when the official notice is sent to employers.

It is anticipated that the industrial action will cause widespread disruption. Union officials told the BBC some schools may have to close.

Further rolling strikes are planned for January and February 2017.

Chris Keates, NASUWT general secretary, said: “The high quality education to which all children and young people are entitled cannot be delivered by teachers whose professional lives are being blighted by deep pay cuts and excessive workload.

“Our children and young people are entitled to be taught by those who are recognised and rewarded as highly skilled professionals and who have working conditions which enable them to focus on teaching and learning.

“For fourteen months of negotiations on last year’s pay award to conclude with an offer of 0% shows that the employers had no intention of doing anything but delay the process to save money at the expense of hardworking teachers.

“And as if that was not enough to demonstrate to teachers, who are providing one of the most vital public services, the contempt with which they are being treated, the minister then seeks to announce a ‘good news’ story on school funding, the bulk of which comes from plundering teachers’ pay packets.

“Teachers do not take strike action lightly. No one wants to disrupt the children and young people they teach or their parents but teachers’ pay and conditions are inextricably linked to the provision of high quality education.

“Attacks on teachers are attacks on children and young people.

“The responsibility for the strike action rests with the minister and the employers.

“Even in the face of their gross unreasonableness, we have presented them with a more than reasonable way to avoid strike action.

“Its now up to them.”

Justin McCamphill, NASUWT National Official Northern Ireland, said: “We regret the disruption that will be caused to pupils and to teachers, if the ministers and employers fail to respond positively to the NASUWT’s reasonable proposition on how strike action can be avoided.

“Ministers and the employers have been given the money to pay teachers the minimum of 1% for 2015-16. It is nothing short of scandalous that they clearly do not think that paying teachers is important.

“Teachers have been left with no choice but to stand up to such a contemptuous attitude.”

Belfast Telegraph