ASTI votes on rejoining congress after five years
A long-serving member is urging a vote in support of the return, despite views that teachers’ confidence in ICTU may be low in light of reported difficulties in social partnership talks.
The ASTI is one of just three unions still outside congress, whose 44 affiliates represent 550,000 workers.
Paddy Mulcahy of the ASTI Cork South branch called for a strong vote for re-affiliation.
“The core value of solidarity is fundamental to the well-being of the trade union movement, which needs every union in its ranks. In turn, ASTI needs the movement’s support to progress matters of concern to teachers,” he said.
“Whether or not social partnership continues, the need for unions to stand and work together will remain,” said Mr Mulcahy.
Opponents of a return believe the union’s aims are better pursued independently of congress, which many members believe engaged in restrictive wage agreements.
Some claim ICTU was unsupportive of ASTI’s pay campaign, which closed the country’s second-level schools a number of times. The decision to withdraw from ICTU was made in 2000 during the pay dispute which ended in 2004.
Ballots continued over the past week at sessions organised by the union’s 56 branches. A result is expected early next week.
The country’s 50,000 teachers gained from salary increases of more than 20% in the past two years under social partnership and benchmarking agreements with the Government. The deals were subsequently offered to ASTI members.
Meanwhile, the Teachers’ Union of Ireland expressed disappointment that Education Minister Mary Hanafin declined an invitation to a debate last night on the further education sector which caters for more than 30,000 students. The union is seeking implementation of the 2003 McIver report, which sets out structural changes needed in the sector.
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