The State's second-level principals have questioned whether teachers' unions the ASTI and TUI have adequately supported them and represented their interests.
President of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) Ms Mary Hanley said that during the past year of industrial unrest, principals felt "isolated, hurt and ignored". She said principals during the ASTI strike were left in "splendid isolation on the firing line".
Speaking at the NAPD's annual conference, she asked the 550 delegates: "Is the time opportune for us to take a serious look at how we, as principals and deputy principals, are represented at union level?"
She added: "When the media encouraged such disgraceful and unacceptable student behaviour, who was called on to calm the situation? NAPD was - by the very union that it was in dispute."
Ms Hanley said the NAPD was angry because the ASTI and TUI had criticised it for submitting a paper to the benchmarking body. "Sixty five per cent of us principals and deputy principals who are trade union members belong to the ASTI, while 35 per cent belong to the TUI. We must have and will have our voices heard."
The NAPD attracted a lot of attention after it decided to submit its own paper to the benchmarking body. It said one of the reasons it was doing this was because the ASTI was boycotting the benchmarking process.
The NAPD does not deal with industrial relations matters but it has increasingly voiced specific concerns of principals. A motion is due for debate this morning on giving NAPD full negotiating rights with the Department of Education to discuss terms and conditions of service for members.
Yesterday, TUI president Mr John McGabhann said the TUI submission included a substantial claim for "teachers, including principal teachers," and was compiled after widespread consultation with principals.
The Minister for Education, Dr Woods, was heavily criticised for not attending the conference. A spokesman for the Department said he could not attend because he had to attend other events.