The National Education Union has written to Deputy Elaine Millar again, asking the government to withdraw a letter sent to teachers about opting out of a pay offer.

The NEU has warned Jersey's government it might put it on notice of further teacher strikes in the ongoing pay dispute.

The group wrote to the Vice Chair of the States Employment Board on 25 January, requesting the government withdraw the letter sent to all teachers earlier that month. It say it has not received a response.

In folllow-up correspondence shared today, the NEU writes:

We do not accept the letter is lawful.

We do not accept you are entitled to claim to have agreement with individual members of the NEU and thereby purport to end the dispute with the NEU.

We do not accept you can threaten to end the rights of our members to take industrial action while the dispute between the NEU and the States of Jersey continues.

Today (1 February) is the deadline the SEB had given teachers to reply to its email if they did not wish to accept the latest multi-year pay offer.

Teachers were told those who did not respond would be assumed to have accepted. They would not be entitled to take industrial action over pay until at least 2027 - or they would have their pay uplift withdrawn.

The NEU told its members not to reply to the government's request.

READ: NEU Takes Legal Advice Over Gov Letter.

Deputy Millar, Vice Chair of the SEB, had said they wanted to ensure they could give the pay award to those teachers who want to take it.

The NEU says it 'remains willing to negotiate' deal to sort out the pay dispute and 'remain committed' to communicating about agreements.

The group asks that 'urgent' negotiation talks are arranged to 're-establish' good relations.

Since the letter to teachers was sent, there has been a change of government.

New Chief Minister Deputy Lyndon Farnham says he wants the government and NEU to be able to move forward.

"There is a genuine desire by this government to resolve the current teachers’ pay dispute and reset the workplace relationship."