School closures averted as ASTI votes to accept public sector pay deal

The danger of students at over 500 second-level schools being told to stay at home from mid-January has been averted after the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland voted to accept the Haddington Road Agreement.

The prospect of closures would have been almost inevitable if the ASTI rejected the deal but, in a major turnaround since members voted 63% against it in September, it became the last public service union to sign up and now ends its 11-week industrial action.

The 57% vote in favour came against the recommendation of ASTI’s 180-member central executive and follows Department of Education agreement last month to set up groups to consider concerns on teacher employment, the use of additional working hours, and junior cycle reform. Almost two-thirds of members voted, up from just over half three months ago.