The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) will ballot its members in Education and Training Boards (ETBs) to secure a mandate for industrial action over unacceptable unilateral changes that increase workload, change the established practices and depart from the terms of collective agreements.
The union said that as always, it is prepared to resolve the issues of concern through active negotiation but, should that not prove possible, it stands equally prepared to take effective, escalating industrial action.
The ballot will take place in ETB workplaces in the coming weeks.
Speaking today, TUI President David Waters said:
‘Regrettably, in recent times, certain managements at a variety of levels in the ETB sector have sought to make unilateral changes that increase the workload of our members, change established policies, and depart from our collective agreements. Associated with this trend has been a disregard for established procedures and negotiated terms and conditions and in some cases, a failure to consult and engage meaningfully with the TUI.
For example, in some workplaces this is resulting in the issuing of unagreed contracts, failure to implement the Supervision and Substitution circular letters correctly and non-consultation with staff in relation to ‘Croke Park’ calendars, hours etc.
The TUI is committed to protecting the conditions and terms of employment of members. To address these immediate threats and ongoing challenges, the union’s Executive Committee has decided to seek a strong mandate for industrial action, up to and including strike action, in the ETB sector.
While issues are not as pronounced in some ETBs as they are in others, there is an evidential link between the ETBs who do not have meaningful consultation locally with the TUI with the ETBs who are in breach of circular letters and collective agreements.
Our members respect and uphold the collective agreements and circular letters that govern their terms of employment. It is completely unacceptable that this is not always reciprocated.
As always, we are prepared to resolve the issues of concern through active negotiation but, should that not prove possible, we stand equally prepared to take effective, escalating industrial action as directed by the Union’s Executive Committee.’