A motion urging the ASTI executive to recommend rejection of the public service agreement was unanimously passed by delegates this morning.
At the ASTI annual convention in Galway, delegates voted in favour of the motion, which calls on the union’s central executive committee to recommend the rejection of the agreement in a ballot of members.
The motion was proposed by the union standing committee which has already expressed its “total and vehement opposition” to the agreement.
The executive will meet tomorrow and decide whether to accept the deal, reject it or - in the most likely scenario - to ballot members about it. This motion recommends that the executive recommends a rejection of the agreement in such a ballot.
The vote followed a series of impassioned speeches, each made in favour of the motion.
ASTI general secretary John White warned members “must have full and comprehensive information on their options” when voting on whether to accept or reject the public service agreement.
Addressing delegates Mr White acknowledged members of the union's standing committee find many of the aspects of the agreement unacceptable.
The committee has expressed “total and vehement” opposition to the agreement, but Mr White urged delegates to consider the ramifications of all options. “Acceptance would entail detailed negotiations of all of the elements:” he said. “Rejection could involve possible imposition of elements of the deal.”
He warned the current climate is one of, “unrestrained attempts by the right wing to diminish the power of the unions to represent their members . . . trade unions must not allow themselves to be provoked into misguided and doomed actions:” he said.
“We have enough external enemies without having internal rancour and distrust . . . [we] must remain united and deal coherently with the reality we face.”
ASTI president Joe Moran told conference delegates today the fall-out from the banking and economic crisis had created the most challenging environment yet for education. He said despite the need to invest in education to boost the economy, it was vital the debate was not driven by the needs of big business alone.
“The skills and competencies required from teachers today are different and much more demanding than ever before,” Mr Moran said. “Attempts to extract more on a contractual basis will surely lead to a drop off in extra-curricular activities as has recently happened in the United Kingdom.”