ASTI to ballot teachers on industrial action over pay
ASTI is to ballot its members on industrial action, up to and including strike action in a row over public sector pay.
The Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI) is preparing to ballot its members on industrial action, which could include strikes, due to the government's failure to present a meaningful offer on public sector pay. The previous public sector pay deal concluded on June 30th, and formal negotiations for a replacement agreement have not yet commenced.
ASTI is not the only public sector union taking such a stance; Unite and the Prison Officers Association have also announced that their members voted in favor of industrial action. The Department of Public Expenditure, however, dismisses the threat of industrial action as unnecessary, asserting that the government is eager to reach an agreement.
ASTI General Secretary Kieran Christie has stated that public servants are being paid less in 2026 and that the way to avert industrial action is for the government to come to the table with a serious pay proposal, honor existing commitments, and negotiate a fair settlement. Christie affirmed that the ASTI is prepared to engage in such negotiations.
Written by urgent.news from RTE News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
