Teacher pay dispute far from over despite softer approach, says union

THE ASTI’s pay dispute is far from over despite weekend steps to leave hard-line tactics behind, according to leaders of the secondary teachers’ union.

A ballot of all 17,000 members looks likely to see them accept a pensionable scheme for paid supervision and substitution, work they have withdrawn from since last March.

They will also be asked whether to implement changes to exam courses, which they have also been refusing in support of their long-standing 30% pay claim.

But while some ASTI members might be angered that these moves could be seen as a climb-down, president PJ Sheehy said that was far from the case.

“Our position in regard to bridging the gap between teachers’ salaries and those of other comparable professions remains the same and our standing committee will devise a strategy to develop the campaign further,” Mr Sheehy said.

“The focus of this special convention was on certain issues that have to be dealt with. Now that pensionable payments for supervision and substitution are agreed, it is a question that has to be put to our members.”

Union leaders are not recommending support or otherwise for the two ballots and would not predict a likely outcome.

However, with more than two-thirds of the 448 convention delegates voting in favour of the supervision ballot and almost equal support for a national vote on syllabus changes, they appear likely to be approved.

Earlier on Saturday, the INTO executive committee deferred a decision on accepting the supervision and substitution deal, which is worth 1,369 a year and pensionable to teachers who make an ongoing commitment to do the work.

They want to meet Department of Education officials this week to clarify matters relating to sick and maternity leave and extra workloads for primary principals.

However, the Teachers’ Union of Ireland adopted the plan for its second-level members, giving them a chance to increase income by up to 5%.

“We have safeguarded this work as voluntary and the efforts by the department to make it obligatory for new teachers has failed,” said TUI assistant general-secretary Declan Glynn.

Education Minister Noel Dempsey welcomed the ASTI ballot decisions as significant, and said he hoped it marks a turning point in the long-running dispute.

The ASTI ballot results will probably not be known for at least a week after Mr Dempsey’s October 31 deadline for teachers to begin teaching new Leaving Certificate biology and home economics material.

However, ASTI general-secretary Charlie Lennon said members have to be allowed time to consider the issues.