ASTI's ex-president prepares to challenge O'Toole in Seanad race

The former president of the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI), Ms Bernadine O'Sullivan, began her campaign for…

The former president of the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI), Ms Bernadine O'Sullivan, began her campaign for a Seanad seat at the weekend. In her sights is incumbent Senator Joe O'Toole, another prominent teacher and head of the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO).

Described by many observers as a battle for the hearts and minds of teachers, Ms O'Sullivan's campaign for one of the three seats on the NUI panel has excited many in the ASTI who want to see her return to national prominence in their campaign for a 30 per cent pay rise.

Speaking to The Irish Times at a weekend meeting of the ASTI's executive council, she said she would use the Seanad seat as a platform to raise the issues of public service pay and pensions. She said she was looking for the support of teachers, but also of all public sector workers who were likely to lose out in the benchmarking process.

"I learned as president of the ASTI that the real power is at political level," she said.

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However, unseating Senator O'Toole, whose political machine is legendary among teachers, will not be easy. Ms O'Sullivan has strongly criticised him in the last two years for his support of benchmarking and his role in the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU).

Judging by the mood at the ASTI meeting on Saturday in Dublin, there is still widespread resentment of Senator O'Toole's stance and his description of benchmarking as an "ATM" waiting to pay out for teachers.

Ms O'Sullivan is planning to travel throughout the country to get votes from graduates of the four NUI colleges. Her campaign team is likely to consist of ASTI members most to the fore in the campaign for 30 per cent and against benchmarking.

At the weekend meeting, a large number of ASTI members signed a petition in favour of Ms O'Sullivan, although official nomination by the ASTI has yet to be given. In next month's edition of the union's newsletter notice of Ms O'Sullivan's intentions will be posted, it is understood.

Ms O'Sullivan, if elected, will use the Seanad seat to criticise the intentions behind the benchmarking body, as she sees them.

"The objective of the benchmarking body is to cut public service pay and pensions. The Government insisted on benchmarking. They would not set up a mechanism for a straight forward pay claim. Instead they wanted something that would do away with relativities," she said.

Her campaign will deeply trouble other teacher leaders who are trying to get pay increases by working the benchmarking system.

The Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) is hoping to make substantial gains via this route, but has warned that if it does not deliver it will consider industrial action.

At the ASTI's weekend meeting, the union affirmed its opposition to benchmarking in an almost unanimous vote. Leaflets were circulated in the hotel criticising the notion of debating the subject again. Some members wanted to amend a previous motion so the union could at least make a submission to the benchmarking body.

There was also no appetite at the meeting for rejoining ICTU.