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24/08/2016
TUI Warns Of Industrial Action Amid 'Deep Frustration' Over Allowance Talks
The Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) has warned that it may be forced to activate an existing mandate for industrial action should "urgent and meaningful progress" not be made in a dispute over allowances for new and recent teachers.
The union expressed its "deep frustration" over the delay of the government to commit to a timeframe for the restoration of allowances.
A series of meetings between the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and Department of Education and Skills, INTO representatives have been described as "unacceptably slow" by the TUI.
TUI President Joanne Irwin said: "From February 2012, as a result of a unilateral government decision, qualification allowances were removed from new entrants to teaching. This amounted to a pay cut of approximately 20%, compared to their colleagues. The TUI has since then been campaigning to have this gross inequality eliminated.
"Firefighters, who also lost their allowance, have had the value of that allowance restored, in the context of agreement to enhance delivery of the service they provide. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER), the Minister for Education and Skills (DES) and the union have highlighted the agreement reached by Firefighters as a precedent available within the LRA. The Ministers have stated publicly that similar progress can be made for teachers within the context of the LRA.
"TUI reached an agreement with the DES in relation to a range of issues in May 2016. A key understanding underpinning this agreement was that the scandal of pay inequality could and would be addressed as a matter of urgency.
"What is now needed is a clear timescale for implementation. Further delay in this respect is both unfair and unnecessary.
Another cohort of teachers will commence their careers in the coming days, on significantly lower pay than their colleagues. It is time to demonstrate that these teachers are properly valued. It is time to end the discrimination that is undermining the morale of the profession.
"It is self-evident that impoverishing teachers inevitably leads to the impoverishment of the service to students. Graduates and, increasingly, qualified teachers across a range of subjects, are now routinely finding better paid and more secure employment in industry."
(MH/CD)
The union expressed its "deep frustration" over the delay of the government to commit to a timeframe for the restoration of allowances.
A series of meetings between the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and Department of Education and Skills, INTO representatives have been described as "unacceptably slow" by the TUI.
TUI President Joanne Irwin said: "From February 2012, as a result of a unilateral government decision, qualification allowances were removed from new entrants to teaching. This amounted to a pay cut of approximately 20%, compared to their colleagues. The TUI has since then been campaigning to have this gross inequality eliminated.
"Firefighters, who also lost their allowance, have had the value of that allowance restored, in the context of agreement to enhance delivery of the service they provide. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER), the Minister for Education and Skills (DES) and the union have highlighted the agreement reached by Firefighters as a precedent available within the LRA. The Ministers have stated publicly that similar progress can be made for teachers within the context of the LRA.
"TUI reached an agreement with the DES in relation to a range of issues in May 2016. A key understanding underpinning this agreement was that the scandal of pay inequality could and would be addressed as a matter of urgency.
"What is now needed is a clear timescale for implementation. Further delay in this respect is both unfair and unnecessary.
Another cohort of teachers will commence their careers in the coming days, on significantly lower pay than their colleagues. It is time to demonstrate that these teachers are properly valued. It is time to end the discrimination that is undermining the morale of the profession.
"It is self-evident that impoverishing teachers inevitably leads to the impoverishment of the service to students. Graduates and, increasingly, qualified teachers across a range of subjects, are now routinely finding better paid and more secure employment in industry."
(MH/CD)
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