Secondary school teachers to begin industrial action

Secondary school teachers across Ireland are set to launch industrial action in response to delays in reaching a new pay deal with the government. The Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) will be among the first public sector workers to begin their protest, joining members of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) who started their action last week.

Over 23,000 TUI members in secondary education establishments will refrain from responding to work emails or calls outside their scheduled hours, while teachers in second-level schools will also skip the mandatory Croke Park hours. This strike action follows the nationwide work stoppage scheduled for Wednesday, which will involve more than 300,000 public sector employees.

Public sector unions have criticized the government for not making substantial commitments on pay since the last public service agreement ended in June. They demand that pay discussions should commence at the beginning of negotiations, rather than being addressed at the end. TUI General Secretary Michael Gillespie expressed frustration with the government's reluctance to engage properly with union representatives and called on the government to act as an employer and facilitate meaningful negotiations.

The government has set aside €1.2 billion in its budget for a public sector pay agreement, but Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers has stated that he will not adhere to any preconditions set by the unions.