Industrial action threat: 500 schools set to be shut

More than 500 schools are facing closure after secondary teachers threatened to strike in a long-running row over pay.

An ASTI protest outside Dáil Éireann highlighted the fact that recently qualified teachers are on inferior pay scales. Picture: Sam Boal

After two strong votes by members for industrial action about pay equality and teachers’ terms and conditions, the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) is waiting until its 23-member standing committee meets today to decide if and when it should begin.

But ASTI president Ed Byrne said he believes the union should direct members to withdraw from supervision and substitution work in about two weeks, meaning schools could be forced to close before the Halloween mid-term beginning the week of October 31.