Teachers vocal on productivity issue

INTO: Teachers have voiced strong opposition to further concessions on productivity.

A vote that would have ruled out discussions on productivity in the next round of pay talks was narrowly defeated at the conference yesterday, by 218 votes to 207.

However, it was clear from the debate that teachers believe they have already delivered substantial concessions, including a common school year and after-hours parent-teacher meetings.

Teachers are concerned that the new pay talks could herald some kind of performance review.

There is also concern about possible new sanctions for under-performing teachers.

The pay talks are to be dominated by discussions on modernisation and flexibility.

Speaking during yesterday's debate on productivity and pay, Maria Kildea, Dublin North West, said it was becoming impossible for young teachers to buy a house.

She said further productivity concessions would be unfair given the number of extra duties assigned to teachers in recent years. "We are already doing a huge amount of work outside our regular hours," she said.

Niall Smyth said any further productivity concessions would surely include performance management. Teachers had made many concessions over the years, he said.

Seán Ó Hargáin, Kilkenny, said his pay lagged well behind that of other third-level graduates who had been in college with him.

For this reason alone, the current campaign to attract more men into teaching was bound to fail.