TUI to put new entrant proposals to ballot without recommendation

By piofficer, Wednesday, 26th September 2018 | 0 comments

At its meeting this evening, the Executive Committee of the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) decided to put the proposal on new entrant pay to a ballot of members without recommendation.

The Executive Committee decided that members should be provided with comprehensive information on all aspects of the proposal so that they can make a considered decision on its acceptability or otherwise.

The Union reiterated its position that the measures do not deliver pay equality and will not tackle the recruitment and retention crisis currently afflicting second level schools.

Details of the timing of the ballot will be confirmed in the coming days. The Union stated that irrespective of the ballot outcome, its campaign will continue until pay equality has been delivered.

Speaking this evening, TUI President Seamus Lahart said:

‘The Executive Committee has decided that given the significant implications of either acceptance or rejection of the proposal, members will be provided with comprehensive information on all aspects of the proposal so that they can make a considered decision. The Executive Committee noted that the proposal has varying implications, depending on career stage.

While the measure represents further movement, it won’t deliver pay equality.

As the most significant difference in scales will still be in the initial career stage, the crisis of teacher recruitment and retention in schools across the country will continue. As a result of this, schools will struggle, and in many cases fail, to recruit and retain suitably qualified teachers across a range of subjects.

It is deeply regrettable that this process did not address the non-payment of the HDip allowance to those who entered teaching since February 2012. This is despite the fact that the duration of the Postgraduate Master in Education (PME) has doubled to two years, leading to significant extra cost – and significant debt – for new teachers. In addition, post- January 2011 entrants lost the entitlement to start on the third point of scale in recognition of the unpaid training period which now runs to six years.

Irrespective of the choice members make in the ballot, pay equality will remain the union’s main priority until it is secured.’


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