Casualisation of teacher working hours to be examined

The Department of Education is set to examine the controversial “casualisation” of working hours for young teachers — which is forcing some to take up second jobs at night to cover their bills — after widespread outrage from the profession.

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn confirmed the move during a media briefing at the Teachers’ Union of Ireland conference, admitting he is “aware of the problem and I’m very concerned about it”.

As reported in Wednesday’s Irish Examiner, young teachers are being forced to take up second jobs at night in McDonald’s, Lidl or filling stations because their day jobs are not paying them enough to survive.

The issue relates to the casualisation of working hours for some qualified teachers who are employed under controversial contracts of indefinite duration.

CIDs work by giving a teacher a full-time job but allowing the number of hours they work to be significantly reduced from the standard 22-hour level for an unspecified time.

This means that, while the starting salary for a teacher remains between €27,814 and €30,702 — rising to just over €40,000 after 10 years — for those on full 22-hour contracts; others on CIDs can see their weekly work fall to just five or six hours.

Recent research from the TUI based shows one in every three of its teachers work under a CID — a figure that rises to one in every two in those aged under 35.

The union has previously called for Mr Quinn to address the situation as it is forcing some teachers out of the profession, and leaving others struggling to survive — with Monaghan-based delegate Micheál Martin telling officials it is time to take “the begging bowl” out of education.

Mr Quinn said “engagement” is likely to take place on the matter soon “with the employers to improve the arrangements”, with a senior Department of Education and Skills official confirming a review of the issue is likely in the coming months.

The growing casualisation crisis and the wider issue of pay for young teachers was also raised during the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation’s congress this week.