Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action over the failure to deliver a new public service pay agreement.
The union’s central executive committee on Friday announced that its more than 48,000 members in the State would begin a work-to-rule from October 5th. This will see members in primary and special schools not working beyond their contracted daily teaching hours.
The union’s members will also join fellow public sector workers in the proposed nationwide strike on Wednesday October 14th.
In a statement on Friday the union said members in its 155 branches who voted had strongly endorsed a campaign of industrial action – up to and including strike action – to secure a “credible pay settlement for the second half of 2026 and beyond”.
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There was a turnout of 57.5 per cent in the ballot, with 95.5 per cent of those who voted backing the action. This comfortably exceeded the two-thirds majority required.
INTO general secretary John Boyle described it as an “emphatic mandate” from teachers “in primary and special schools who are struggling to make ends meet”.
“The increasing frustration of our members relates to the uncertainty surrounding salaries, particularly amid a cost-of-living crisis,” he said. “Thousands of teachers and their families are unable to cope with the cost of food, travel, energy, fuel, mortgages and rent.”
The union’s executive will meet again in the coming weeks to “consider escalation” from mid-October if necessary.
The other two teachers’ unions, the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) and the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) are also balloting their members on industrial action.
The TUI said ballot papers will be issued next week with a deadline for return of October 2nd.
A spokesperson added: “It is also important to note that we are currently already balloting our members at second level to engage in a campaign of industrial action over the failure of the Department of Education and Youth to pay a 1 per cent salary increase due under local bargaining in previous agreement as part of a set of Senior Cycle redevelopment implementation support measures that TUI members accepted in May 2025.”
ASTI general secretary Kieran Christie confirmed its ballot count will take place next week.
The leaderships of the three largest public sector unions – Fórsa, Siptu and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation – have previously served notice of industrial action to be taken by members in the health service to take place over the coming weeks.
On Friday, Fórsa also served notice of industrial action on behalf of about 13,500 members working for local authorities, which will begin at the end of this month.
