Teachers Union Will Vote In Favor Of Industrial Action Over Covid-19 Safety Issues

THE LEADING Union of Secondary School Teachers in Ireland says it will vote in favor of industrial action due to concerns it has about staff safety.

The central executive committee of the Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland (ASTI) said it met today and decided to vote its members on a number of “key issues” that had emerged since the schools reopened.

He said ASTI members had “serious concerns” about the health and safety of school communities.

Issues raised include physical distancing in schools, provision of personal protective equipment (PPE), definition of close contacts, comprehensive testing and response times, provisions for high-risk teachers, and IT resources for students and teachers to facilitate remote teaching and learning.

“The fact that high-risk teachers have been asked to work in crowded classrooms is unacceptable to us as a union,” ASTI President Ann Piggott said in a statement.

“The safety of students and their teachers must be the priority.”

Piggott said teachers were reporting new work practices were being implemented without consulting with school staff.

“It is unthinkable that at a time when teachers have shown great commitment to their students and to maintaining education, schools would introduce job changes that would have an additional negative impact on teachers’ working lives. This smacks of crisis opportunism and cannot go unanswered. “

ASTI said the ballot would also cover the hardships returning teachers “are forced to work with precarious contacts” and those facing unequal salaries.

High schools reopened in late August after being closed since mid-March due to Covid-19, and teachers provided remote learning from March through June.