INTO look at legal options for pay parity

THE INTO is considering its legal options in pursuing its claim for pay parity between primary school principals and their secondary counterparts.

The Central Executive Committee of the primary teachers’ union reiterated its belief that the benchmarking report on public service pay failed to address their concerns on the issue.

However, it declined to adopt an official policy on the report published in June, except to insist the full 13% increases recommended for teachers be paid before the PPF social partnership deal ends next summer.

“We will be looking at the labour laws to see if there is a case to be taken on the grounds of equal pay for equal work,” said an INTO spokesman.

“Let nobody tell us for a minute that being principal of a 400-pupil secondary school with an administrative deputy principal is more responsible, more complex, or more time consuming than running a primary school of the same size without full-time support staff.”

Other options being explored by the union include having the matter examined by labour relations mediation, if it can be done while remaining within the benchmarking process.

The committee also said it was angry the benchmarking report did not address its campaign to have the time in which primary teachers reach the top of the pay scale shortened.

While the 3,200 principals who are members of the INTO will begin consultations on their claim at meetings around the country next month, ordinary teachers will begin discussing the wider pay issues in October.

Meanwhile talks on the pensionability of payments to INTO teachers and TUI members in secondary schools will begin with the Department of Education tomorrow.

While department officials believe the subject is too complex to be finalised before schools reopen next week, the INTO remains confident and has insisted it can be done.

Unions predict some members may opt out of the 37-an-hour deal, but this won’t cause disruption in schools.