Unions opposed to cuts are subject to law, says Kenny

Teacher unions and others that remain opposed to €300m public sector pay cut proposals will be subjected to laws cutting higher salaries and other work changes, Enda Kenny said yesterday.

He echoed earlier comments by Education Minister Ruairi Quinn as the prospect was raised of strikes at hundreds of schools and colleges by the rejection of the proposals from the Labour Relations Commission by two unions.

The executives of the Association and Secondary Teachers Ireland and the Teachers’ Union of Ireland decided on Thursday not to ballot their members on the new deal. They said that, despite concessions on cuts to higher pay, restoration of money for supervision work, and other areas, the proposals do not differ enough from February’s Croke Park II deal, already rejected in earlier votes.

Both unions have a mandate to call industrial action if pay cuts or work condition changes are imposed without their agreement. A similar power is held by the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation, but its executive is recommending their 32,000 members accept the new deal, as is the country’s largest union, Siptu.

The ASTI said its standing committee does not believe there is sufficient improvement and clarification in the Haddington Road Agreement for it to constitute a final offer.

The Irish Federation of University Teachers, which also rejected Croke Park II, decided last night to ballot its 2,000 members next month.

Mr Quinn said legislation giving effect to cuts will be put to the Oireachtas next week and passed, whatever individual unions decide on the Haddington Road proposals. The bill published by Public Expenditure and Reform Minister Brendan Howlin on Thursday gives authority to implement the pay cuts in the deal, but would mean those not signed up to the LRC deal would not benefit from aspects relating to restoration of salary increment that are to be frozen.

“We live in a democracy, that’s their right to so choose,” said Mr Quinn. “We would have preferred to have negotiation and reach agreement, but in an open society that’s not always possible and individual organisations and individual citizens have the right to make their own decisions and we will respect that.”

Later, Mr Kenny said the Government and the LRC have spent five months on extensive negotiations on the matters.

“Those unions who have now agreed with the Haddington Road statement will have those agreements honoured, and those unions that do not will be subject to legislation which will go through the Dáil and the Seanad next week,” he said.

TUI general secretary John MacGabhann said there would be no threat to the Junior or Leaving Certificate, or to exams in institutes of technology where 4,000 of his members work.

“The logic is that the industrial action would take effect in a progressive, layered, measured way from the commencement of the next academic year at both second and third level,” said Mr MacGabhann.