Everything must be done to avert strikes

A winter of discontent is looming over the country’s secondary schools as teachers and Government continue on a head-on collision course that could prove disastrous for thousands of pupils.

With the education system facing one of the most challenging periods in its history, and the economy deeply mired in trouble, it is clear that a prolonged strike would put the future of Ireland’s young people at even greater risk than it now is.

Hopefully, with critical Junior and Leaving Cert as well as third-level exams looming, there will be no disruption of the system through industrial action before schools and institutes of technology break up for the summer holidays.

Barring a major blunder by one side or the other in the bitter war of words currently being waged, there seems no reason for a strike at this stage. Battle lines will not be drawn until pay cuts are actually imposed. However, given the likelihood of skirmishes in this highly volatile situation, nothing can be guaranteed.

The stark reality is that both sides continue to paint themselves into corners which will be difficult to escape from without losing face.

The Government has now shown its hand by delivering something of an industrial relations broadside in the form of a gauntlet thrown down by Education Minister Ruairi Quinn.

Leaving no room for doubt, he announced yesterday that legislation will be introduced in the Dáil next week to give effect to public sector pay cuts for those who have not signed up to revised pay agreements.

Despite this move, two out of the three teacher unions, ASTI and the TUI, remain every bit as opposed to the so-called Haddington Road deal as they were to the ill-fated Croke Park II agreement, which a majority of the public service workforce rejected.

Since its revision, the stance of ASTI and TUI has not wavered. They claim nothing of any significance has changed. The new deal has, however, been endorsed by the INTO, representing national school teachers.

Not alone have the secondary school leaders refused to sign the new-look deal, they will not even put it to a vote of their members.

Showing how little wriggle-room is left, the two unions have backed a mandate for strikes if the Government moves to impose pay and other cuts.

Ironically, while not giving ground in any tangible way, Mr Quinn made what seems like a conciliatory gesture by emphasising that it was the teachers’ right in a democracy not to accept the revised agreement on public sector pay.

Perhaps less an olive branch than a mailed fist in a kid glove, he stressed the Government would move forward next week and warned that the legislation would be passed.

Against this uncertain backdrop for both students and their parents, it seems likely that when pupils return for the 2013-14 educational year, the grim prospect facing them is for a school term that has all the signs of being hit by a rash of strikes and other forms of industrial action in a campaign already being planned by teachers. Every possibility should be explored to avert such a crisis.

In the meantime, a cynical observer might be tempted to suggest that nothing will happen which could in any way disrupt the summer-long holidays that teachers continue to enjoy.

Above all else, that is a major perk of a relatively well-paid job which really sticks in the public craw.