A Quarter Of A Million Secondary School Students Affected By Today’s Strike Action

Hundreds of secondary schools around the country will not re-open today after the mid-term break due to strike action. With around a quarter of a million students affected by the ongoing pay dispute, talks between teachers and the Department of Education appear to be at a deadlock. Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Education Minister Richard Bruton commented:

"I think it extraordinary that unions would close schools over hours that every other public servant works...If we abandon 14,000 public servants for the ASTI, the consequence would be devastating"

Meanwhile, the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland - representing around 18,000 teachers - released a statement yesterday evening (Sunday, 6th of November) stating that no progress has been made on key issues:

"...it is regrettable that tomorrow’s planned withdrawal from supervision and substitution will go ahead despite the union’s participation in talks with the Department of Education and Skills over the past week. Teachers who are members of the ASTI will turn up for work as normal tomorrow but will not engage in supervision and substitution duties. The industrial action follows the withdrawal of payment in recognition of supervision and substitution work from ASTI members. Other teachers who are not members of the ASTI are receiving the payment."

ASTI President Ed Byrne, speaking after a briefing meeting of ASTI Standing Committee representatives in Dublin on Friday, called the strike action "inevitable":

“It was always inevitable that deducting pay from ASTI teachers for supervision and substitution work would lead to a withdrawal from this work. We made this clear to the Department as early as July of this year. Teachers received a commitment under the Haddington Road Agreement that this money would be paid. We delivered on all aspects of the Haddington Road Agreement. The Department’s decision to pursue this course of action is extremely problematic in terms of resolving this dispute.”

The ASTI have said that they will continue to maintain contacts with the Department of Education and Skills today, and in the coming days, with a view to resolving the ongoing issues. How do you feel about the dispute? Join the conversation on Twitter @HerFamilydotie