Stand-off looms between Government and 17,000 second-level teachers

A stand-off between the Government and 17,000 teachers could be looming as Budget 2014 is based on acceptance of the latest public service pay deal.

A planned €236m reduction to next year’s education budget relies largely on savings from the Haddington Road Agreement (HRA), Education Minister Ruairi Quinn conceded yesterday.

But his non-capital budget of €8.2bn for 2014 assumes the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) will be fully on board.

As its members today begin a third week of industrial action at 500 second-level schools, the minister said ASTI may want to think again about its rejection of the deal as they see the impact — outlined in a letter sent to all second-level schools by his department.

In accordance with the FEMPI financial emergency law passed in the summer, they are differentiated from Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) colleagues at second level.

Having accepted the HRA, TUI members are now to be paid all salary increments due this year; will have cuts to pay over €65,000 restored in a few years and see their salary scales increase if they began teaching since 2011.

The minister told reporters his department is budgeting for the Haddington Road Agreement to be implemented and had no other option but to do so.

“I personally believe when members of the ASTI have a chance to look at the details of the circular that was sent out recently they may think again with their union colleagues as to whether they want to participate or not,” he said.

“But I fully respect that’s a decision of their own but, from a budgetary process point of view on budget day, we have factored in the application on full of the HRA.”

He has not yet introduced a ministerial order that would stop them being paid for supervision and substitution work which colleagues in TUI must do unpaid.

But the minister may be forced to act soon if the action starts having an impact, particularly with training for the new junior cycle English programme scheduled to get under way from next week, with ASTI members due not to attend.

The other elements of the action that stemmed from the union’s rejection of Haddington Road are total bans on taking part in after-school parent-teacher and other meetings, and on taking on unpaid administrative work of middle-management colleagues whose roles are not being filled.