ASTI comes in from the industrial relations cold

THE Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) has taken a historic decision to end six years in industrial relations solitude.

Although less than one-fifth of the union’s 16,600 members voted, 80% of those who took part in the ballot earlier this month backed the proposal to re-affiliate with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. The ASTI withdrew from the movement at the height of its pay dispute with the Government in 2000, and a motion to return to membership was strongly rejected at its 2003 annual convention.

It had been one of just three unions which was not a member of ICTU, whose affiliated organisations represent 550,000 workers.

However, with the pay consigned to the past and attitudes towards social partnership easing, it was decided at last year’s convention to hold a full ballot of members.

The turnout was just 15% to 20% but the result announced yesterday shows that 79% of the participants voted for re-affiliation.

ASTI general secretary John White said the decision offers the union an opportunity to leave some of its divisive past behind, as well as to work with the broader trade union movement for the good of teachers and education.