Teachers' union to ballot members on industrial action 'up to and including strike action'

About 11,500 teachers at schools under the auspices of Education and Training Boards and staff at further education and training colleges are to be balloted in the coming weeks.

Thousands of teachers and education staff are to be balloted by the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) to secure a mandate for industrial action, up to and including strike.

About 11,500 teachers at schools under the auspices of Education and Training Boards (ETBs) and staff at further education and training (FET) colleges are to be balloted in the coming weeks.

The TUI said the move comes over what it described as “unacceptable unilateral changes that increase workload, change the established practices and depart from the terms of collective agreements”. 

TUI president David Waters said in recent times, certain managements have sought to make unilateral changes that increase the workload of the union's members, change established policies and depart from collective agreements.

“Associated with this trend has been a disregard for established procedures and negotiated terms and conditions and in some cases, a failure to consult and engage meaningfully with the TUI," he said.

The union was “committed to protecting the conditions and terms of employment of members”, he added.

“To address these immediate threats and ongoing challenges, the union’s executive committee has decided to seek a strong mandate for industrial action, up to and including strike action, in the ETB sector.” 

While issues are not as pronounced in some ETBs as they are in others, there is an “evidential link” between the ETBs which do not have meaningful consultation locally with the TUI with the ETBs which are in breach of circular letters and collective agreements.

“Our members respect and uphold the collective agreements and circular letters that govern their terms of employment. It is completely unacceptable that this is not always reciprocated.

“As always, we are prepared to resolve the issues of concern through active negotiation but, should that not prove possible, we stand equally prepared to take effective, escalating industrial action as directed by the union’s executive committee.”