‘Urgent’ action is needed to stop the school strike

The government has been told to “commit urgently” to ASTI after the union announced that it is voting its members on industrial action.

The teachers union decided to vote with members on a number of issues that have arisen since the schools reopened, including “serious concerns” about the health and safety of school communities.

Issues raised include physical distancing in schools, provision of PPE, testing, and provisions for high-risk teachers.

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

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

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, Sinn Féin spokesperson on education, said: “Problems can and must be solved.

“The fact is, reopening schools safely has been a challenge because we have an educational system that is overcrowded, underfunded and understaffed.

“We have also raised the issue of high-risk personnel.

“It is inconceivable that teachers who are at high risk or who have high-risk family members in the home would be forced to work in an environment where they do not feel safe.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said: “The reopening of schools has been a very important milestone for children in Ireland.

“The safety and well-being of the students, staff, and the entire school community has been paramount in the Government’s planning for the reopening of schools.

The Department of Education was extensively involved with stakeholders in the development of plans for the reopening and secured and provided significant funding to the schools.

“The Department has an ongoing engagement with Public Health Authorities on a weekly basis so that schools can remain open safely and is working with stakeholders.

“In relation to high-risk personnel, an improved occupational health service has been implemented to categorize personnel into one of the three risk categories of Covid 19.

“A review process has been put in place where concerns persist.

“The Department will continue to collaborate with all educational partners, including ASTI, in the coming months.”

Meanwhile, the Irish National Teachers Organization (INTO) has launched a campaign to reduce class sizes in Ireland in the next budget.

The union, which represents more than 40,000 primary school teachers and principals, says our average class size of 25-30 is well above the European average of 20 students per class.

As a result, social distancing is – says the union – severely compromised and “may well challenge Micheál Martin’s grand intentions to maintain [schools] open”.

In County Cork, for example, the union says that 21% of students learn in classes of more than 30 children.

And in Cork City, more than 1,600 students learn in classes of more than 30 children.

The ASTI vote will also cover the difficulties faced by returning teachers who are forced to work on precarious contracts and those who suffer unequal salaries.

Earlier this year, ASTI’s central executive council voted to vote the more than 17,000 union members in industrial action for unequal pay for teachers who entered the profession since 2010.

The ASTI went on strike, including a strike, over wage inequality in 2016, one of the last times it took a strike.

Since then there have been some improvements in pay for new students entering teaching.

But in January, the union announced that “despite the ongoing campaign by ASTI and the other teacher unions, wage inequality persists.”