Irish schools could close again as teachers consider a strike over Covid-19 concerns

Schools could close again when teachers consider a strike due to concerns about Covid-19 health and safety measures.

ASTI revealed last night that PPE, social distancing, and test and trace times would be voted on.

A spokeswoman for the 17,500-member secondary school teachers union said: “It could be an industrial action up to and including a full strike.

ASTI’s central executive committee met yesterday and decided
submit fundamental questions to a vote of the members.

The meeting heard that members have serious concerns about the health and safety of school communities.

Topics raised include physical distancing in schools, masks, defining close contacts, provisions for high-risk teachers, and computing resources for distance learning.

Ann Piggott, president of ASTI, said: “The safety of students and their teachers must be the priority.”

She said teachers are reporting that new work practices are being implemented without consulting with school staff.

Ms. Piggott added: “It is unthinkable that at a time when teachers have shown great commitment to their students and to sustain education, schools would introduce job changes that would have a further negative impact on teachers’ working lives.

“This smells of crisis opportunism and cannot go unanswered.”

The ASTI vote will also cover the difficulties faced by returning teachers who are forced to work with precarious contacts and those who suffer unequal pay.