Secondary schools throughout Ireland could face closures next month.
Members of the Associated Secondary School Teachers of Ireland (ASTI) voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action over lower pay for recently qualified teachers and what they claim are worsening terms and conditions for ASTI members.
In a ballot on recently qualified teachers’ pay, 80% of ASTI teachers voted for industrial action up to and including strike action. The turnout for the ballot was 78%.
In a separate ballot on what the ASTI claim are worsening terms and conditions for members (following their rejection of the Lansdowne Road Agreement), members voted by 78% to 22% in favour of industrial action, up to and including withdrawal from supervision and substitution.
The turnout for the second ballot was 73%.
Commenting on the ballot results today, ASTI President Ed Byrne said: “Today’s ballot results demonstrate the depth of feeling amongst second-level teachers who have endured years of pay cuts and deteriorating terms and conditions. Teachers do not embark on industrial action lightly and strike action is always a very last resort.”
The ASTI were due to stage a protest outside Dáil Éireann on Thursday over the issue of lower pay for recently qualified teachers.
Teachers who entered the profession after 2010 earn up to 20% less than their colleagues who started teaching before 2010 despite having the same duties and responsibilities.
The ASTI also believes that supervision and substitution payments, which had been suspended under the now expired Haddington Road agreement, should be restored.
The Government, however, has said that the ASTI must accept the Lansdowne Road agreement before there will be a restoration of those payments.
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