Quinn warns ASTI action will have consequences

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has called on ASTI to reconsider its refusal to sign up to the Haddington Road Agreement, saying non-compliance will have the greatest impact on young, newly qualified teachers.

Speaking in the Dáil last night, Mr Quinn said he was extremely disappointed that the secondary teachers’ union was the only public service union to take that position.

Mr Quinn said the ASTI decision means the protections and benefits of the agreement, including those in relation to security of tenure of employment, will not be available to its members.

“In addition to the monetary impact on individual teachers, the Haddington Road Agreement (HRA) also provides additional benefits for young teachers, particularly in relation to securing permanent status.”

Mr Quinn said a reconsideration by the ASTI was also “very much in the interests of the education system, and the country, that we are united in addressing the real financial challenges that we still face”.

Earlier, his fellow Cabinet ministers also warned that the action planned by ASTI members from Oct 2 would not force them to re-negotiate the terms of HRA.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan said there was no scope for renegotiation, while Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin said the savings factored in under the deal were part of the budgetary arithmetic and could not be changed.

ASTI general secretary, Pat King said that it was not his union’s intention that industrial action would affect students in any way. However, he admitted that holding parent-teacher meetings during school time would have a “marginal” effect on students.

He also admitted that, in schools where there are ASTI members and Teachers’ Union of Ireland members, it was going to get “very complicated”.

“It’s certainly a complication for Government,” he said. “We have to take our decision, the TUI have taken their decision and the teachers have voted and I cant argue with that.”

From Oct 2, as part of its industrial action, ASTI members will withdraw from all meetings outside school hours; refuse to participate in training for the new Junior Cert; and not take on any management responsibilities without additional pay.