Five things we learned yesterday

1.Some delegates can go on a bit at conference

The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland’s (ASTI’s) Bernard Lynch put it succinctly: “It doesn’t matter what side of the debate you’re on as long as you make your point.” Another delegate was overheard telling a colleague she was getting up to speak on a motion because “I might as well.” Yawn. Straight-talking president Brendan Broderick put a stop to it on Thursday morning. “Unless you have something new to say, please don’t talk.”

2. The ASTI old guard are still in situ . . . after all these years

Despite the recent swathe of retirements from the teaching profession, there has been no natural wastage from the ranks of ASTI’s rebel guard. The same radicals that have stolen all the headlines at convention for years are still very much in action, wearing a path to the podium this week and defying that ol’ red light. When not at the podium they could be seen muttering angrily in their seats or fraternising with the young rebel faction. These young bucks are no match for the original tub-thumpers, and their numbers are few: the expected “radicalised youth” is still not turning up to conference despite the fact they are the very people in the direct line of austerity fire.

3. Part-time teachers are hurting

There was much debate around the inequality of pay and conditions for part-time teachers at ASTI yesterday, including stories of school management pressurising insecure non-permanent teachers to do the kinds of jobs that keep teacher unions’ reps awake at night. Delivering classes during the Easter holidays, for example.

The story that emerged was one of schools finally finding a way around the constraints of the teacher unions. In response to a call for a redeployment panel for non-permanent teachers, Pat King said it was management bodies, not the department, that were resisting any such move. They want to pick and choose their own non-permanents and get them to do their bidding, is the inference.

4. Primary teachers make better placards

The protesters at this year’s ASTI conference waved worthy-but-dull printouts at the Minister, while the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation produced handcrafted masterpieces trailing glitter around the hall. It was hoped the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) would make some CAD-designed 3-D artefacts, but resources didn’t allow it

5. There is a lot of poaching going on . . .

Life is no picnic for teachers in a dual union school, apparently. ASTI members in the community and comprehensive sector claim to be coming under heavy pressure to switch allegiance. Those wily TUI stewards have been claiming their union is better than its rivals at securing contracts of indefinite duration for members, say ASTI delegates. That’s permanent jobs in layman’s terms. Very tempting.

5 and a half. The Voice of ASTI

ASTI’s new president-elect Gerry Breslin is the uncle of pop star and Voice of Ireland judge Bressie.