Teachers’ body ‘will not replace unions’

A FEDERATION of more than 60,000 teachers could be set up within the next year but it will not replace the four existing unions.

Discussions over the past year between the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI), Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT), Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) and Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) have led to outline proposals for an organisation which would represent their members on common concerns.

Details of the Federated Teachers’ and Lecturers’ Union are likely to be presented at the annual conferences next month of the ASTI, INTO and TUI by officials who were delegated last year to enter initial talks with their counterparts and with IFUT.

It is envisaged the body could be up and running by the Easter conferences in 2009, with work under way to present a united voice on issues such as relations with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, training for members, health and safety and other areas.

However, union sources have ruled out suggestions the four unions would be merge. The last time any such proposal was considered took place at the ASTI annual convention in 2003, when more than two-thirds of delegates voted against entering talks with the TUI about a possible amalgamation.

Both unions represent second level teachers, although TUI also has members in further education colleges and institutes of technology.

The ASTI, INTO and TUI joined forces to make a submission in late 2006 to the public service benchmarking body, although sources suggest reaching agreement on elements of the 10% claim was difficult. A common salary scale is paid to teachers in the country’s 3,300 primary and 700 second level schools.

The proposed teachers’ federation will be discussed at the ASTI, INTO and TUI conferences at the end of March.