ASTI secondary teachers to take industrial action

Secondary school teachers affiliated with the ASTI have overwhelmingly voted to take industrial action due to delays in reaching a new public sector pay deal. An overwhelming 95% of ASTI members opted for industrial action, with up to 20,000 teachers set to begin initial action, such as withdrawal from certain activities like Croke Park Hours, starting Monday, October 5th. This will escalate to a full-blown strike on October 14th, alongside other public sector unions.

ASTI General Secretary Linda Kelly emphasized the depth of feeling among teachers, stating that their pay has fallen significantly behind inflation, while living costs continue to rise. The government's approach, according to Kelly, has shown little concern for the daily realities faced by teachers and other public service workers.

The government has accused the unions of failing to make a meaningful offer on pay, as the previous public sector pay deal expired on June 30th, and formal talks on a successor agreement have yet to commence. The Department of Public Expenditure stated that unions and representative associations have chosen industrial action over engaging in substantive talks.

Officials remain open to engaging constructively on a new agreement, but the department insists that this process should not be delayed further. They assert that meaningful progress can only be achieved through open and sustained engagement from both parties, without any preconditions.