Members of the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) have voted to accept the Haddington Road Agreement. TUI members voted to accept the Agreement by a majority of 54% to 46%, on a turnout of 65%.
Speaking this evening, TUI General Secretary, John MacGabhann said: “TUI members, in a democratic ballot, have decided to accept the Haddington Road Agreement.
“In doing so they have, with strong reluctance, taken a pragmatic decision to accept the lesser of two evils in the form of the Haddington Road Agreement, as opposed to the unjust and discriminatory Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest legislation, the removal of which the TUI will continue to demand.
“The commitments in the Agreement with regard to improved salary scales for new teachers and lecturers and the enhanced arrangements for award of Contracts of Indefinite Duration must be put in place without delay,” he said.
Gerard Craughwell, TUI President warned: “The trust of teachers and lecturers in Government has been severely undermined. We demand that the Government honour its commitments on this occasion.
“Notwithstanding the union’s acceptance of the Agreement there is a huge and growing sense of anger and frustration amongst teachers and lecturers at the fact that, as well as being targeted for successive pay cuts, they are being increasingly burdened with additional bureaucratic work that does nothing to enhance the quality of teaching and lecturing.
“It should not be inferred that TUI’s acceptance of Haddington Road represents an acceptance of the austerity agenda. It does not,” Mr Craughwell added. “TUI is adamant that the taxation system is the fairest way to achieve budgetary targets. We are determined to protect the integrity and quality of the public education system against the onslaught of austerity. In this context, there is simply no room for further cuts to the education system in the forthcoming Budget. Any such cuts would be a wanton and wilful act of educational vandalism,” he said.