Teachers' union warns of rolling strikes
ROLLING half-day strikes over pay cuts have been threatened by the second-level teachers' union, ASTI.
Its 180-member central executive council said that the level of anger among teachers at the Government's treatment of the public sector was such that a strong and sustained campaign of opposition was inevitable.
At its meeting on Saturday, it agreed to draw up a programme of action with the other teacher unions over the coming weeks to be implemented during 2010.
The four teacher unions have already stated that teachers will not co-operate with the Government's transformation agenda for the public service.
In addition to this, the ASTI said it would vigorously implement directives on staff meetings outside school hours and parent and teacher meetings, class size, posts of responsibility, school development planning meetings, and Whole School Evaluation and subject inspections.
John White, the union's general secretary, said last night: "The Government has clearly indicated that it does not believe that quality, effective pubic services are important to ordinary members of the public, including parents, children, young people, pensioners and workers.
"The Government must live with the consequences of this," he added.
- John Walshe Education Editor
Irish Independent
