ASTI slams Woods as confrontational

The Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland has accused the Minister for Education of being confrontational. The comments come after confirmation that Minister Michael Woods is to put alternative staff in place to supervise the Leaving Cert exams next summer. John White of the ASTI says the minister is behaving in bad faith. He says the minister’s decision to deduct the teachers’ pay before Christmas because of strike action was confrontational. He has now called on Minister Michael Woods to rescind that decision and restart talks aimed at resolving issues before industrial action is taken to disrupt exams.