A secondary school in Co Antrim may be forced to close its doors again if a suspended teacher is not re-instated, union officials warned tonight.
Newtownabbey Community High School was closed today after teachers walked out following the suspension of vice-principal John Lewis.
Tom McKee of the National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers said talks to resolve the dispute could not take place until Mr Lewis was reinstated.
He accused the school's board of governors of engaging in bullying tacticsafter Mr Lewis, a union representative, was suspended several weeks ago.
"We have the highest regard for John's professionalism and are not preparedto engage in talks until he is reinstated," Mr McKee said.
"If we were to take part in talks while this suspension is in place, it wouldbe like condoning the treatment of our representative in the school.
"We have received backing for strike action and we can call for it again inthe future if required."
Mr McKee said the North Eastern Education and Library Board had known aboutstaff problems at the school for months but had not acted quickly enough.
"There has been a very bad working relationship at the school for a while butit had been ignored by the board of governors," he said.
"An instruction for staff not to cover for absent colleagues was issued lastOctober but it was only when the chairman of the board of governors issuedformal proceedings against John that we took more decisive action.
The chairman of the school's board of governors, Billy Snoody, said it hadproposed an independent review of the situation by an outside facilitator inJanuary but this had been rejected by the NASUWT.
"The Board of Governors remains open to consider any reasonable constructiveproposal from the NASUWT to resolve the dispute but notes with regret that todate none has been forthcoming," he said.
"The Board of Governors is not prepared to comment in relation to thedisciplinary records of individual members of staff.
"However, allegations of misconduct will continue to be investigated andprocessed in accordance with the appropriate procedures which have been agreedby the trade unions.
"To date no member of staff has been disciplined for any trade unionactivity."
A spokeswoman for the North Eastern Education and Library Board said it backedthe stance of the school's board of governors after the situation was discussedat a meeting today.
"Board members were assured that the board of governors was acting properlyin issuing a precautionary suspension to a senior member of staff while internalschool matters were under investigation," she said.
"It was confirmed that the board of governors had acted at all times in theinterests of the school and it was with regret that the NASUWT had not respondedin a similar vein.
"The board remains concerned about the potential effects this dispute couldhave on the education of the pupils and the damage which could be caused to thelong term future of the school."
Pupils are expected to return to the school tomorrow following the one-daystrike.
PA