TUI moves to suspend co-operation with new Leaving Cert project work over unpaid 1% increase

TUI general secretary Michael Gillespie said the Government was 'breaching' its collective agreement. He said by next September, if teachers do not co-operate with the AACs, students 'will not be getting the 40%'. Picture: Tommy Clancy

An emergency motion to ballot for a suspension of co-operation with the new additional assessment components (AACs) has been unanimously passed at the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) annual congress.

The project‑based AACs make up 40% of marks in four subjects at Leaving Certificate — chemistry, physics, biology, and business.

TUI members say they are still owed a 1% pay increase backdated to last September under local bargaining. 

The deal forms part of a 3% overall rise, with the 1% due last September and a further 2% under the next public‑service agreement, contingent on co-operation with senior‑cycle redevelopment.

The three-day TUI congress heard multiple calls from its president to give members the money they were due to receive eight months ago.

Delegates believe this “failure” by the Department of Education constitutes a “breach of a collective agreement” and “members cannot be expected to continue to co-operate with senior cycle redevelopment where the department has not honoured its commitments under that agreement". 

An emergency motion has been tabled instructing the executive committee to demand the immediate payment of the 1%, backdated to September 1.

“If this payment is not made without further delay, the relevant members will be balloted for a mandate to suspend co-operation with AACs and all associated work,” said the union.

TUI general secretary Michael Gillespie said the Government was “breaching” its collective agreement. He said by next September, if teachers do not co-operate with the AACs, students “will not be getting the 40%".

He added: “It will mean the terminal exam will have to be corrected at 100%. But that is the consequence if our paymasters do not give us what we agree to — payment for our work."

A separate emergency motion to ballot post‑primary members in September for industrial action — including strike action over increased workloads linked to the senior cycle revamp — has been carried.

TUI said a number of key commitments under the collective agreement had still not been honoured.

These include the failure to fill additional posts of responsibility by the end of last year, so they are appointed and in position for next September.

“Congress believes that this pattern of delay and non-delivery weakens confidence in collective bargaining, increases workload for teachers and calls into question the commitment of the department to the senior cycle redevelopment process,” the union said.

A ballot for industrial action, up to and including strike action, will be put forward to post-primary TUI members if the issue is “not fully resolved over the coming weeks".