Lunchtime protests were held outside schools and centres today to draw attention to teachers’ serious concerns over the failure of their employer, Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board (LWETB), to adhere to and apply nationally agreed grievance procedures.
In a ballot earlier this month, TUI members employed by LWETB voted overwhelmingly by 92% to 8% to take industrial action on the issue.
As a next step in this industrial action, further lunchtime protests will be held on Wednesday 5th October and Thursday 13th October. If necessary, TUI will examine other options open to it in terms of its strong mandate for industrial action.
Speaking about the protests, TUI Deputy General Secretary Annette Dolan said:
“Agreed grievance procedures were developed at a national level following engagement between Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) and the trade unions representing staff in schools and centres in ETBs around the country. The procedures are hugely valuable in providing a comprehensive roadmap for the resolution of grievances in the workplace in the interests of the avoidance of conflict. Clearly, such a framework is desirable for innumerable reasons.
The failure of LWETB as employer to apply and adhere to the nationally agreed grievance procedures that are fully respected elsewhere is a critically serious matter with significant adverse implications for TUI members employed by LWETB.
Today’s protest represents the first element of industrial action on this issue, and, as a next step, further protests are planned for October if required. Should the issue not be resolved in the near future, TUI will review the situation and examine other options open to it in terms of its strong mandate for industrial action.
In the interim, we urge LWETB to immediately apply and adhere to these procedures.’