Teachers want supervision deal implemented

SECONDARY teachers are seeking an early meeting with Education Minister Noel Dempsey to implement the supervision and substitution scheme after Friday’s vote by ASTI members to accept the latest package.

But a big question mark surrounds the numbers of teachers willing to take part in such duties. The new deal offers teachers a pensionable payment of €38 per hour.

However, participation in the scheme and willingness to do the duties for 37 hours per school year remain voluntary options to be decided by teachers on an individual basis.

“It is yet to speculate on what proportion of teachers will take it up,” a spokesperson for the ASTI said yesterday.“Everybody has the option to say yes or no. We will know as soon as the scheme is implemented.”

The Government has spent €36 million to date on the contingency plan for supervision.

George O’Callaghan, chairman of the Joint Managerial Board for schools, said he hoped any vacancies in schools would be taken up by temporary and part-time teachers as opposed to non-teaching staff.

ASTI hardliners are encouraged by an apparent reduction in members’ support for the scheme.

The initial ballot in November showed 60% in favour. This compares with just under 59% in the latest vote, when the turnout was under 55%. ASTI’s ruling central executive committee recommended rejection.

During the past month Minister Dempsey took the unprecedented decision to address ASTI members at a series of public meetings on the supervision deal - amid claims by the union leadership that he was interfering in the ballot.

ASTI vice-president Pat Cahill said he believed a substantial proportion of teachers would opt not to carry out supervision.

“The deal was accepted because teachers are strapped for cash and in essence were starved into submission.”

“However, given the low turnout and the fact that there were actually fewer yes votes this time than during the last ballot, there are obviously less teachers prepared to do the work.”

ASTI president PJ Sheehy welcomed the outcome of the ballot and called for the scheme to be implemented immediately.

“The Minister should make arrangements for the payment of arrears due to ASTI members for supervision and substitution work in the 2001/2002 school year.”

Because non-teachers are currently carrying out the supervision duties, the scheme agreed with ASTI not to go into immediate effect as it will be necessary to give the non-teachers appropriate notice of the new arrangements.