Teachers on the picket at Eureka Secondary School, Kells, this morning.

ASTI strike sees schools close

Ten second-level schools in Meath are closed today as teachers strike over lower pay for newer qualified teachers.

Members of the Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland (ASTI) are on the picket line in the first of seven strike dates announced by the union between now and Christmas.

The schools in Meath affected are St Joseph’s Secondary School, St Michael’s Loreto and St Patrick’s Classical School in Navan, Scoil Mhuire and Boyne Community School in Trim, Ratoath College, Ashbourne Community School, Athboy Community School, Kells Community School, and Eureka Secondary School, Kells.

The strike comes after ASTI members voted overwhelming in favour of industrial action over the issue of lower pay for recently qualified teachers. According to the ASTI, teachers are on starting salaries which are 20 per cent below the 2010 teachers’ starting salary.

The other strike dates announced are 8th, 16th, 24th and 29th November, and 6th and 7th December.

ASTI teachers are also set to withdraw from supervision and substitution duties from Monday, 7th November which is expected to result in widespread school closures when students return from their mid term break.

The nationwide strike today has resulted in the closure of over 500 schools in the dispute involving ASTI's 17,500 members.

“Ireland’s youngest and brightest second-level teachers are being targeted and demoralised through unequal pay,” ASTI President Ed Byrne said today.
 
“An ASTI teacher starting in 2016 is earning €8,000 less than the 2010 teachers’ starting salary. This salary gap continues year after year. The Government’s failure to commit to achieving equal pay for young and recently qualified teachers is most alarming. The implications for education and for society are far reaching”.
 
“Embedding inequality in the teaching profession can only lead to widespread morale issues amongst teachers,” continued the ASTI President

“At best teachers will feel devalued, at worst the most talented and dedicated will leave the profession or the country. Students will lose out.”

In a statement issued yesterday, Education Minister Richard Bruton said: “I am disappointed by the decision of the ASTI to take industrial action which will close schools unnecessarily tomorrow. There is a deal on offer to ASTI which would see pay increases of 15% and 22% for new entrant teachers, with further benefits in terms of working conditions, and a route to further possible improvements after that through the Public Pay Commission.”

 “It would not be equal or fair for us to conclude sectoral deals with particular groups of public servants to the exclusion of other groups of public servants. To do so would also mean that we do not have the money left in the public purse to provide increases in social welfare payments for vulnerable groups, tax reductions for people at work, or investments in improvements in public services that people rely on, such as the extra 2,500 posts in schools which was announced in the recent Budget.”