Quinn and the teachers avoid mutually assured destruction — for now

THE concept of mutually assured destruction (MAD) ensured the world was safe from nuclear war during the Cold War as each side knew that pushing the red button would trigger the same response from their opponents.

Although not quite as grave, a similar scenario emerged this week as the leaders of two teacher unions were told by conference delegates they must ballot the full membership on industrial action if the Government does not fulfil its guarantee in the Croke Park agreement of no compulsory redundancies or further pay cuts. This follows warnings to public servants from a number of ministers earlier this month that the pay question would be revisited if they do not deliver reforms and efficiencies they committed to providing under the deal.

The motions passed by the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) and Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) would see such a move triggering a strike vote. In the TUI’s case, this would even be done if the coalition cited the “unforeseen economic circumstances” clause of Croke Park which could allow them make more cuts to pay, something most public servants must surely have feared strongly after the EU and IMF landed on our shores before Christmas.