Teachers accept 1,400 supervision deal

THE Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland (ASTI) have voted to end two major elements of their long-running and divisive pay dispute.

Members of the 17,000-strong union, whose members teach 80% of the country's second level students, gave 63% support to accept a 1,400-a-year supervision and substitution deal. The 55% turnout also gave 58% support to a suspension of their ban on teaching new course material.

Their withdrawal from voluntary supervision duties last March in pursuit of their 30% pay increase claim has cost taxpayers well over 20 million to replace them with supervision staff in 450 voluntary secondary schools.