Sir, - As a guidance counsellor, I am seriously concerned about the effect on Leaving Certificate students of the current disruption and insecurity regarding examinations. These above all other students have special claim on our consideration, whatever our grievances. I believe that the Leaving Certificate should be permitted to proceed as usual, even if other industrial action is deemed necessary.
I believe also that many teachers may now regret giving a mandate - which has, in effect, been carte blanche - to the ASTI last October for industrial action. Few envisaged then that the dispute would be mismanaged by both sides for so long. I believe some teachers may now have lost sight of the essential ingredients in the dispute because of disappointment or anger at failures of the government, the union, and latterly, of the Labour Court, to deal with it. The essential issues are our perceived needs and those of our students. We are aware of the needs of students and most teachers have spent their teaching careers dedicated to answering those needs. We must not fail them now. Our entitlements to significant salary increases have been vindicated by the Labour Court. The original benchmarking system has been changed in recognition of the ASTI's earlier objections. (Some type of benchmarking to establish relativity of our salaries with others, is, after all, what teachers have demanded.) It is difficult to understand why rank-and-file members did not get a chance to study this proposal and decide for themselves if it is now acceptable to them - even if only as a tolerable alternative to this damaging campaign.
I have written to the ASTI to request a ballot on the Labour Court proposal and would encourage other interested teachers to do the same. - Yours, etc.,
Fionuala Watkins, Dublin 3.