SECONDARY teachers are to ballot on industrial action if the Government fails to make a satisfactory new offer on pay and conditions within the next fortnight.
The central executive council of the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI), decided on Saturday to set a deadline of October 5th for receipt of a new offer.
However, both the ASTI and the Teachers' Union of Ireland have decided to stay in the talks, which resume today amid growing signs of optimism that a new deal can be finalised. Both unions rejected the Government's original £66.7 million offer last spring, but since then the package has been improved.
Sources close to the talks say that the Government is willing to improve the terms of the early retirement deal offered. In addition, it would ease its original demand for teachers to put in an additional 15 hours a year on non teaching activities.
Existing part time posts in community and comprehensive schools would be made permanent and permanent posts would also be created for teachers involved in adult and traveller education.
However, no compromise has yet been reached on the Government's plan to make merit rather than seniority the main criterion for determining promotions. ASTI members are overwhelmingly opposed to this change.
The ASTI's executive council meeting on Saturday approved the possible forms of action to be taken in co ordination with the TUI in the event of a dispute. These include a strike for a specified number of days, withdrawal from voluntary activities such as lunchtime supervision, and withdrawal from all education committees. Secondary teachers would refuse to implement the proposals in the White Paper on Education, including the new education boards, and would withdraw co operation with new curricular programmes from next autumn.
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