A final attempt to resolve the ASTI supervision dispute will begin this morning. But there is little optimism that a deal can be reached.
ASTI representatives will meet Department of Education officials and resume talks with the school management bodies.
An ASTI standing committee or executive meeting is expected to be called for later today if the talks fail to resolve the dispute. The standing committee will consider whether the supervision deal should be put to a fresh ballot of members. At this stage it is thought the committee is evenly split on the question.
The ASTI action is likely to have little impact in schools. The Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey, has said the contingency plan will remain if the ASTI refuses to co-operate with the scheme. This plan, in place since March, involves the use of outside personnel for supervision and substitution duties in schools.
At the heart of the dispute are differing interpretations of the supervision deal. ASTI members voted by a 60-40 margin to accept the €37-per-hour pensionable payment for supervision. The ASTI wants to be paid for being "on call" for supervision, but the Department says it will only pay for hours actually delivered during the week. Under the agreement, teachers cannot do more than 1½ hours of supervision in any week.
If the ASTI refuses to work the new deal or rejects it in a fresh ballot, the contingency plan would remain in place, at least until the summer term.
Those who favour a new ballot say the union was misled about the deal before the last vote.
Those against it are concerned that the union may lose out on back money and annual supervision payments of €1,400 if they withdraw from the deal.