Teacher unions warn of industrial action

UNIONS representing more than 60,000 teachers have warned of the serious possibility of industrial action if the Government does not negotiate with them, and others representing public servants, about the controversial pension levy it plans to introduce.

Three of the four teacher unions decided last week to ballot their members on industrial action in protest at the Government’s planned levy on the pensions of civil and public servants.

The results of the votes among the 60,000-plus members of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI), Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) and Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI), are expected by the weekend of Friday, March 6. Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) general secretary Mike Jennings said the executive of the union, which has around 2,000 members, will consider its position this weekend.