NEU Northern Ireland staff

Mark Langhammer

Regional secretary

Mark Langhammer has led NEU in Northern Ireland as regional secretary since 2005. As NEU’s negotiator within the NITC and Teachers Negotiating Committee, he was a prominent figure in the 6-year industrial action leading to the 2020 pay settlement. He has written widely on industrial democracy and relations.

Under Mark’s leadership, NEU signed a partnership agreement with the Early Years organisation in the 0-4 sector and has co-led efforts to legislate for flexibility in the school starting age. He sits on the Government’s “Fair Start” reference group to tackle educational disadvantage and supports ‘equal value’ for vocational learning.

Alastair Donaghy

Regional officer

Alastair Donaghy has been a Regional Officer for NEU since 2007 and is the lead official for organising, recruitment, and training. He is a TUC Accredited Tutor and delivers a range of courses to members and representatives.

Previously, he spent 20 years in the civil service trade unions, and the community sector, building up a specialist knowledge in pay, pensions, and employment law. He is responsible for managing member queries and casework, dealing with cases up to independent appeals, and employment tribunals. Alastair also sits as a member of the LRA Independent Appeals Panel.

Alastair represents NEU on a range of negotiating forums with employers, and is the NEU representative on the NI Teachers’ Pension Scheme Board.

Danielle Black

Regional officer

Danielle Black has recently joined NEU as Regional Officer and is responsible for advice, casework and the delivery of campaigns. Danielle brings a wealth of experience in membership management, advice and advocacy.

She previously worked for the Bar of Northern Ireland and Ulster University Students’ Union, where she was responsible for the student advice service and representing students at formal hearings. Danielle leads on some key NEU member initiatives such as Women in Leadership.

She holds an BSc in Communications with Advertising from Ulster University and is currently studying for the Diploma in Trade Union Organising.

Simon Salter

Regional support officer

Simon Salter has been Regional Support Officer in Northern Ireland since 2018. Simon is normally the first point of contact at the NEU’s Belfast Office, managing the office phones and offering members a wide range of support and advice, relating to employment law.

He specialises in time budget queries, developing an inhouse calculator used to analyse workload expectations using the school calendar, timetable, and time budgets. He represents the NEU and NITC in the Temporary and Substitute Review and is also on a working group tasked with replacing the current NISTR system.

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