The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) will consider its continued participation in public service talks if the Government tables proposals that will result in pay cuts or job losses.
Speaking today, TUI General Secretary John MacGabhann said: “In December, the TUI Executive decided, on a without prejudice basis, to accept the Government’s invitation to talks. This was with a view to examining any proposals that might be put forward by the Government side and to putting our own priorities to Government. TUI priorities are to preserve the pay and pensions of members, ensure protection against compulsory redundancies, tackle the casualisation of the teaching and lecturing professions and improve the pay scales of newly qualified teachers.
“At a meeting of the TUI Executive Committee last Friday, a motion was passed that as soon as concrete proposals are put on the table, the TUI Executive will meet without delay. If at that stage pay cuts or jobs losses are included in the agenda, the TUI Executive Committee will consider the union’s further participation in the talks,” he said.
Mr MacGabhann highlighted the issue of casualisation in the teaching and lecturing professions which he said must be addressed in the current talks. “About 30% of our members are employed on a part-time basis, some earning as little as €10,000 per annum, which is not a living wage. They are living in income poverty with little prospect of full time, permanent employment. We have heard of young teachers and lecturers leaving the profession to take up jobs in the private sector in areas such as retail and in call centres because there is currently little prospect of a career in teaching for them.
“This and other matters such as the deep cuts to staffing and the erosion of service to learners must be addressed by Government in the context of the current talks.
“Extensive additional productivity has been given by teachers and lecturers under the existing Croke Park Agreement. An additional 900,000 hours annually are being provided by second-level teachers and teaching hours delivered by Institute of Technology lecturers have increased by over 10% in circumstances of staffing cuts and increases in student numbers. This increased productivity is in addition to the pension levy and pay cuts which have reduced the take-home pay of serving teachers by as much as 20%,” he said.