New secondary teachers offered a good deal – Fitzgerald

The deal offered to secondary school teachers was a good one, Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald told the Dáil on Thursday.

She said new teachers would get a 15 per cent to 22 per cent increase in salary, beginning in January, and there would be immediate backdated payments for supervision and substitution for all teachers.

There would be increased flexibility in how the Croke Park hours were used in schools, she added.

“It is important to note that under the package announced in the recent budget, which was also significant, there will be greater promotion opportunities on offer in schools for new teachers coming into the system,’’ Ms Fitzgerald said.

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The Tánaiste was speaking before the announcement by the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) that it had rejected proposals aimed at settling disputes with the Government.

Major issues

She was replying to Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald, who said the ballot had been held because of major issues surrounding teachers’ pay as well as issues relating to supervision and substitution duties.

“Despite some minor concessions on the Government’s part, the deal put to teachers remains largely the same as that proposed before teachers went on strike last October,’’ Ms McDonald said.

She said the ASTI executive had recommended its members should reject the deal offered.

Industrial action would be very disruptive, she said. “As any student, particularly those in exam years, will tell the Tánaiste, it will also be very stressful,’’ Ms McDonald said.

She said teachers had legitimate concerns about their pay and conditions.

Unresolved

“Teachers and the rest of our public sector workers want and deserve fair pay restoration,’’ she added.

“They are not looking for a pay increase, but pay restoration, that, to be simply given back what was taken away.’’

Ms McDonald said the teachers’ demands were not insurmountable but they remained unresolved because the Government had its head stuck firmly in the sand.

“The issue of pay equality, which was a central reason for industrial action in October, has not been addressed in the slightest, but it must be addressed,’’ she added.

Ms Fitzgerald said it was critical to note three-quarters of the gap for new entrants had been closed in the deal.

The offer was made following negotiations with all the trade unions, she said.

She said she accepted the ASTI had outstanding pay demands and that the deal did not travel the full distance it set out to achieve.