Parents plead with teachers to end industrial action in interests of pupils

PARENTS want teachers to end any industrial action that will directly affect their children’s education, as unions plan to intensify their campaign against pay cuts.

Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe has also expressed hope that teacher unions and others representing public sector workers will take up Labour Relations Commission (LRC) chief executive Kieran Mulvey’s offer to chair talks aimed at resolving differences between unions and the Government and other public service employers.

The National Parents Council-Primary (NPC-P) said it recognises the right of teachers to take industrial action, but it called on them to reverse any work-to-rule directives that would affect children’s contact time with teachers and to ensure any further actions will not disadvantage children in the future.

“When time is lost in children’s learning, all children are affected. However, it is often children who are already struggling in their educational lives who areaffected the most,” a NPC-P statement said.

Most work-to-rule directives at schools have been operating since last summer, including a ban on teachers taking on duties of middle-management positions left vacant by a Government ban on promotions.

Leaders of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI), Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT), Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) and Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) said yesterday that these and other measures were the first phase of a campaign they will be keeping under review in the coming weeks, with a view to increasing the intensity of industrial action.

“Members of all the unions are extremely angry and frustrated at the effect of the two pay cuts imposed by the Government in the last 12 months and the unions are determined to respond to this,” a spokesperson said.

The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) has banned members from attending in-service training during school hours, if substitution cover is not paid for by the Department of Education. INTO members have also been told to consider reviewing participation in voluntary activities outside school time.

The ASTI central executive council (CEC) voted on Saturday to reduce flexibility on the type of administrative work that could be done by teachers in middle-management posts, which would restrict the ability of schools to prioritise the roles being undertaken. However, it is understood the other unions did not support such a step at yesterday’s meeting.

Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe said he was optimistic talks that might take place through the LRC’s intervention would help achieve a positive outcome.

“The last thing anyone wants is to affect the delivery of service, which is vital from a public service point of view.”