Speaking of pay, the business organisations have been quick to come out and warn the Government against surrendering to the 30 per cent pay demand of the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland. The fear is of an agreement creating a public sector wage spiral as others seek similar inflation-busting deals. Small firms especially worry that such a trend would raise wage levels in the private sector where, contrary to what the teachers would have one believe, many firms are standing by the terms of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness.
Things may be different in financial services, the hard-pressed construction sector and software, but try telling those people staffing call centres that only the public sector is abiding by the PPF and you will get a sharp response.
Put simply, the Government and the economy cannot afford a 30 per cent rise for teachers - especially given its knock-on effects - without considerable offer from the other side.
If teachers want to be treated like private sector peers, they need to shed the veil of secrecy about performance and the notion of security of tenure regardless of competence.
They talk about stress and they certainly endure some but part of that is done to covering/make up ground for other less able colleagues and part due to "face time" with students being confined to 22 hours a week.
In other words, where other people spread the stress of their jobs over their full hours, teachers squeeze it into those short classroom hours, for which they receive generous holidays and sick leave entitlements.
If they want to know about stress, talk to nurses or junior doctors.
There is a way of considerably enhancing the pay of this hugely important sector charged with producing the skilled labour force we need to secure our future. End the process of increments.
Pay the teachers a proper salary for their skills, rather than paying them in increments simply for surviving in the classroom for so many years, regardless of competence. Together with more transparency and accountability, it is possible the teachers might secure a rise even above 30 per cent for such true reform.
