Fresh talks in bid to avert second teacher strike in January

Attempts by Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan to try and restart talks on junior cycle reform have received a tentative welcome from teacher unions.

Although they are still likely to fix a date tomorrow for a second one-day strike in January at 730 second-level schools, the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) and Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) said her suggestion has merit.

She told the Oireachtas education committee yesterday afternoon that she will be asking Pauric Travers, the independent chair of talks between unions and her officials that collapsed a month ago, to see if they could be restarted. She said that, in an effort to avert industrial action, she would be asking him to consult with herself, her officials and both unions “to see if the conditions for meaningful talks exist.”

She had previously said any further talks would require prior agreement by unions on school-based assessment of Junior Certificate coursework by teachers of their own students, which will be worth 40% of marks in each subject. While it is unclear if her negotiating position has eased, emphasis is being placed on the apparent support Mr Travers enjoyed by all parties in the previous discussions.

In response, the Asti and TUI said they have always been open to any constructive engagement that might help to resolve the impasse.

“We are open to contact from Dr Travers, and in this light, it will be considered by the executive bodies of both unions on Friday,” they said.

However, in order to keep the pressure on for a resolution, the Irish Examiner understands both union leadership groups will continue with their plans for tomorrow to decide and announce next month’s proposed strike date.

Ms O’Sullivan said her officials will also meet with parents’ representatives, and the Irish Second-level Students’ Union.

National Parents’ Council-Post Primary (NPC-PP) president Don Myers this week criticised the unions, saying the measures are supported by parents, who should be better consulted on changes which affect their children’s education.

The minister said she believes there needs to be movement by the unions, who have refused to discuss proposals that include any amount of students’ work for a State-certified exam to be assessed by their own teachers.

She had removed her predecessor Ruairi Quinn’s proposal that the final written exams also be corrected by students’ own teachers, but this step in the talks chaired by Mr Travers was not enough to ease union concerns.

“I hope Mr Travers, by having him engaged, that we will be able to avoid a further strike which doesn’t serve any purpose,” she said.

Fianna Fáil education spokesperson Charlie McConalogue welcomed her move but said progress could have been made earlier if she had offered to talk to unions sooner about their concerns.