Latest from UUP
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15 releases
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Burrows urges Givan to act before workload dispute escalates to strikes
UUP leader and Education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA urges Education Minister Paul Givan to return to talks and agree a time-bound plan to implement the Independent Review of Workload in full, ahead of teachers' action short of strike from 28 September.
Education Issue: Teaching unions announce industrial action short of strike Original release: Burrows urges Givan to act before workload dispute escalates to strikes (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Burrows: Education Minister’s New teacher support programme must not add to workload
UUP leader and education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA welcomes the Education Minister's expanded induction support for newly qualified teachers, but says it must come with protected time, fully funded substitute cover and no added workload. He also calls for relief from bureaucracy and better…
Education Issue: Education Minister's enhanced support programme for newly qualified teachers Original release: Burrows: Education Minister’s New teacher support programme must not add to workload (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 19 September 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Teaching has become the art of doing the impossible, says Burrows
UUP leader and Education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA urges Education Minister Paul Givan to act urgently on teacher workload after five teaching unions backed industrial action in a ballot. He says teachers face too many duties and calls for a reassessment of workload expectations and reopening…
Education Issue: Teacher workload review and industrial action threat Original release: Teaching has become the art of doing the impossible, says Burrows (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Violence against teachers is a taboo we can no longer afford to ignore
UUP Leader and education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA urges the Education Minister to adopt an injury‑reduction plan for schools, citing 598 teachers and 1,974 classroom assistants assaulted last year, and calls for better training, support and parental respect.
Education Issue: Assaults on teachers and classroom assistants Original release: Violence against teachers is a taboo we can no longer afford to ignore (opens in a new tab)
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Burrows warns teacher burnout crisis unsustainable after report finds 91% affected
UUP leader and Education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA says a report finding 91% of NI teachers face burnout is unsurprising and calls for better support, pay and accreditation for classroom assistants. He says he is writing to the Education Authority to press for streamlining of weekly information…
Education Economy and employment Issue: Teacher burnout report finding 91% of NI teachers affected Original release: Burrows warns teacher burnout crisis unsustainable after report finds 91% affected (opens in a new tab)
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Teachers’ Pay Deal Welcome, But Workload and Budget Certainty Must Be Addressed
UUP Education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA welcomes the Northern Ireland Teachers' Council decision to accept a 4% pay offer as fair. He calls for action on teacher workload and for a multi-year budget that keeps pace with inflation to give certainty.
Education Economy and employment Issue: NITC acceptance of 4% teachers' pay offer Original release: Teachers’ Pay Deal Welcome, But Workload and Budget Certainty Must Be Addressed (opens in a new tab)
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Crawford Welcomes Pay Deal Between Department of Education and Teaching Staff
UUP MLA Colin Crawford, Education spokesperson, welcomes the Department of Education and Northern Ireland Teachers' Council agreement on a 5.5% pay deal for 2024/25, saying it will help retain and attract teachers and stabilise schools.
Education Economy and employment Issue: NITC acceptance of 5.5% teachers' pay offer Original release: Crawford Welcomes Pay Deal Between Department of Education and Teaching Staff (opens in a new tab)
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Crawford condemns increasing number of assaults on teachers and teaching staff
UUP education spokesperson Colin Crawford MLA condemns a rise in reported attacks on teachers and school staff, citing Department of Education figures rising from 376 in 2022 to 698 in 2024. He calls for a review of school safety policies, stronger reporting and support, and better resources for…
Education Issue: Department of Education figures on assaults against school staff 2022-2024 Original release: Crawford condemns increasing number of assaults on teachers and teaching staff (opens in a new tab)
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Education Support Workers are the Backbone of Our Education System - Allen
UUP MLA Andy Allen MBE, speaking on a picket line with striking education support workers, says they are essential to education delivery and calls on the Northern Ireland Executive to resolve the outstanding pay and grading review dispute without further delay.
Education Economy and employment Issue: Educational support staff strike over pay Original release: Education Support Workers are the Backbone of Our Education System - Allen (opens in a new tab)
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Butler Calls on Minister to Urgently Provide Support for Education Workers
UUP Education spokesperson Robbie Butler MLA urges Education Minister Paul Givan to secure Assembly funding and implement the pending pay and grading overhaul for non‑teaching education staff, saying the delay is unacceptable and action is needed now.
Education Economy and employment Issue: Pay and grading review for non‑teaching education staff Original release: Butler Calls on Minister to Urgently Provide Support for Education Workers (opens in a new tab)
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Standing in Solidarity: Addressing the Impact of Political Stalemate on Public Sector Workers - Butler
Robbie Butler MLA, UUP deputy leader and education spokesperson, says public‑sector staff will strike this Thursday and the UUP will join picket lines, blaming the two‑year absence of an Executive and the DUP’s Stormont boycott for the stalemate that threatens children’s education and welfare.
Education Economy and employment Issue: Thursday public sector strike 2024 Original release: Standing in Solidarity: Addressing the Impact of Political Stalemate on Public Sector Workers - Butler (opens in a new tab)
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Continued Stormont boycott is impacting our children and schools - Butler
UUP MLA Robin Butler says the continued Stormont boycott is harming children and schools after meeting teacher and support staff unions about pay, conditions and the deteriorating school estate. He calls for an immediate return to Stormont and urgent investment in staff and capital.
Education Economy and employment Issue: Continued Stormont boycott and schools industrial action Original release: Continued Stormont boycott is impacting our children and schools - Butler (opens in a new tab)
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Non-teaching staff deserve fair pay and employment terms - Allen
UUP Communities spokesperson Andy Allen MBE MLA calls on EA and the Westminster government to resolve the non-teaching staff pay dispute, and has written to the Secretary of State urging funding be allocated now rather than awaiting restoration of Stormont.
Education Economy and employment Issue: School support staff strike over pay on 16 November 2023 Original release: Non-teaching staff deserve fair pay and employment terms - Allen (opens in a new tab)
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A fair settlement on teaching pay must be arrived at – Butler
UUP Education spokesperson Robbie Butler MLA calls for a fair settlement on teachers' pay to avoid further strike action and disruption for children, families and teachers, saying pay has not kept pace with inflation.
Education Economy and employment Issue: Teachers' half-day strike on 21 February 2023 Original release: A fair settlement on teaching pay must be arrived at – Butler (opens in a new tab)
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Supply teachers should not lose out on money due to system failings – Butler
UUP Education spokesperson Robbie Butler MLA says supply teachers are at risk of not being paid after problems with the new Northern Ireland Supply Teacher Register, which moved to the Education Authority. He and John Stewart MLA met EA officials and call for the issues to be fixed straight away.
Education Economy and employment Issue: Northern Ireland Supply Teacher Register payment problems Original release: Supply teachers should not lose out on money due to system failings – Butler (opens in a new tab)