ASTI warns members to participate in action

Members of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) who do not comply with its directives on industrial action – due to commence in schools this week – could face possible fines or expulsion, the union has said.

In a questions and answers document for members, the union said members were required to adhere with directives under its rule book.

“Non-compliance could be considered conduct injurious to the association and complaints of non-compliance could result in investigation, reprimand, fine or expulsion.”

Members of the ASTI are due to engage in industrial action from Wednesday following their rejection of the Haddington Road agreement on public service pay and productivity.

School meetings
As part of the industrial action the ASTI has directed members not to attend meetings that take place outside normal school hours, including school "open nights".

Meetings scheduled as part of the additional 33 hours per year which teachers had to provide under the original Croke Park agreement also fall under this union ban.

The union has also told members “not to agree to alter existing post duties in any way which will increase the workload of individual posts of responsibility”.

“Where a post of responsibility is vacated, members are directed not to undertake any duties thereby arising unless they are pensionably remunerated for this,” the document states.

ASTI members have also been directed by the union not to co-operate with in-service training for the introduction of planned reforms to the Junior Cert.

The union has also told members they are no longer obliged to accept timetable reassignment to facilitate the absence of a colleague taking students on a school activity.

Minister's warning
Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn has warned ASTI members that by rejecting the Haddington Road agreement they will be outside the protections against compulsory redundancy set out in the deal. However, he has not indicated that he plans to take any specific action in response to the ASTI move.

The Minister signalled that the issue of continuing to pay ASTI members for supervision and substitution arrangements in schools was on the table.

As things currently stand members of the Teachers’ Union of Ireland in second-level schools and primary school teachers, who have both accepted Haddington Road, will lose out on about €1,700 per year paid in supervision and substitution payments.

Haddington Road deal
However, this money is continuing to be paid to members of the ASTI as they are outside the provisions of the Haddington Road deal.

The ASTI has urged members to continue with existing supervision and substitution arrangements.

However, it has indicated that members could withdraw from carrying out supervision and substitution arrangements if the Minister was to unilaterally cease paying this money.

In previous disputes the withdrawal of supervision and substitution cover has resulted in the closure of schools on health and safety grounds.