Date of second teachers strike announced

Second level education unions have announced that the second day of strike action over the Junior Cert dispute will take place on Thursday, January 22.

In a statement this morning, the ASTI Standing Committee and TUI Executive Committee confirmed the date and also announced that they would, if necessary, take an additional day of strike action on a date to be announced.

Both unions – which represent 27,000 second level teachers – have a strong mandate for industrial action following ballots of membership. A first day’s strike action took place on December 2.

The executive bodies of both unions also agreed that they are prepared to meet with Dr Pauric Travers with a view to facilitating constructive engagement that might help to resolve the impasse. The Minister for Education and Skills stated on Wednesday that she intends to request that Dr Travers consult with both sides, and the unions see this as a positive development.

“It is clear from ongoing feedback from teachers in schools and through their union branch structures that teachers remain resolute in their opposition to the threat posed to educational standards by significant elements of the proposals,” said TUI President Gerry Quinn. “Specifically, they are opposed to the proposed introduction of teachers assessing their own students and are gravely concerned by the lack of capacity of schools after several years of cutbacks to cope with the magnitude of the proposed changes.”

“Teachers are in favour of positive, appropriately planned and fully resourced improvement and consistently campaign for this,” said ASTI President Philip Irwin. “It is unfair to claim that teachers have not moved. Teachers support many improvements including increased use of project and portfolio work and a move away from an excessive reliance on a terminal examination. However, they want these externally assessed.”

 

The teachers say they regret any inconvenience caused to parents and students by the industrial action, but they said their willingness to take further strike action was a clear indication of the level of their opposition to significant elements of the proposals.

The unions said their members believe that they are acting in the best interests of the education system and the quality of service to students.