Teachers invited to talks on pay deal

The Labour Relations Commission has invited teaching unions to attend talks next week as part of the Government's plans to reduce the public service pay and pensions bill.

The unions, the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO), the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI), the Teachers Union of Ireland and the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT), all voted to reject the proposed Croke Park II agreement last month.

The various unions are expected to put the invitation from the Labour Relations Commission before their executives for consideration.

The TUI faces a complication in dealing with the invitation in that its annual conference passed a motion mandating the union not to go back into any talks with the Government in relation to the Croke Park proposals.

The chief executive of the Labour Relations Commission Kieran Mulvey said on Tuesday that 10 unions opposed to the original Croke Park II agreement were now "potentially looking at it afresh in a more positive disposition".

MARTIN WALL