The crisis within the ASTI deepened yesterday after the Labour Court told the teachers' union to "get its house in order", writes Seán Flynn, Education Editor.
In an unprecedented rebuke to a trade union, the court said that workers at the union's head office administrative staff were working within an environment of fear, where threats were common.
Senior members of the 17,000-member union said the finding was a "humiliation" and a "shameful day" for the union. A former ASTI president, Mr PJ Sheehy, said he "would be demanding answers" at a union executive meeting later this week.
The court has ordered the union to pay thousands of euro to staff which have been withheld for months because of a dispute. Acting on the basis of a vote at the ASTI annual congress, its treasurer, Ms Patricia Wroe, has withheld expenses which were not sought on Revenue-compliant forms.
The court heard that both the officers and the executive standing committee had instructed the treasurer "to pay out the outstanding money but she had refused to do so".
In its findings, the court said that workers in the ASTI head office (who include members of SIPTU and the NUJ) should be entitled to operate in a workplace where they can get on with their jobs without the constant fear or threat from elected individuals who would appear to have no direct line responsibility.
ASTI refused to attend the hearing and even threatened the court with legal action. The union said it was bound by a High Court injunction won by its general secretary, Mr Charlie Lennon, which prohibits the ASTI from investigating alleged bogus expense claims.
In a statement last night, the ASTI president, Mr Pat Cahill, said his union would be carefully considering the Labour Court finding.
On the expenses issue, Mr Cahill said that the union had been committed since February to pay outstanding expenses to all staff, provided these were submitted on Revenue-compliant claims forms.
He said he would have been happy to attend the court, but legal advice meant that this was not possible.
"The ASTI meant no discourtesy to the court. We were acting on legal advice," he said.
The court rejected the view that the injunction prevented it from dealing with the issues.
Last night, former ASTI president Mr PJ Sheehy said the court's finding had serious implications for the union.
The ruling came as negotiations between the ASTI and Mr Lennon about a possible settlement continued.
The court had heard complaints from staff that a culture of bullying had reached a new pitch within the organisation. They had claimed that staff were under "continuously high levels of stress".
Since becoming treasurer, Ms Wroe has made a voluntary payment of over €130,000 to the Revenue because of her concerns about some administrative procedures.
Last week, she was involved in negotiations with the officer of the Registrar of Friendly Societies who have warned the union that it could lose its negotiating rights if it continues to withhold audited accounts.
The ASTI has not provided the audited accounts for last year (due in June) because of an ongoing dispute with the auditing firm Deloitte & Touche.
According to ASTI sources, Deloitte & Touche claims it is still due fees for work conducted last year.
But the ongoing dispute with the company means ASTI accounts cannot be finalised.