More than half of secondary schools look set to close indefinitely from Monday as talks between teachers and the Government ended without agreement.
The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland’s (ASTI) 17,500 members are planning to withdraw from supervision and substitution duties from tomorrow.
The move will force the closure of more than 400 of the country’s 735 secondary schools from Monday onwards on health and safety grounds.
In a statement, a spokeswoman for the ASTI said there has been no progress and confirmed that industrial action will take place. Further contacts will continue with the Department of Education, she added.
Schools most likely to close are those which are heavily staffed by ASTI members or where principals or deputy principals are members of the union.
A small number of schools which are due to open will cater to exam-years students only – third and sixth-years – though management bodies say this is likely to be a short-term measure.
The Joint Managerial Body (JMB), which represents the 380 schools in the voluntary secondary sector - typically school owned or run by religious bodies - has forecast that only a dozen or so of its schools will remain open.
Among community and comprehensive schools – most of which are dual unions – it is expected that about 30 of the 97 schools will close.
Schools in the Education and Training Board sector are the least likely to close. About seven of the 270 of its schools are likely to close.
While talks between the ASTI and the Department of Education took place over the weekend, sources on both sides say has been little sign of any resolution.
Senior members of the union and officials in the department are now bracing themselves for what is likely to be a bitter and protracted week of strikes and school closures.
ASTI teachers will not be paid in cases where the withdrawal of supervision cover results in the closure of schools.
The dispute is linked to the union’s decision to cease working additional hours related to the Croke Park pay agreement earlier this year.
In opting not to work these 33 hours a year, the union was deemed by the Government to have “repudiated” the Lansdowne Road pay deal.
This triggered the application of financial emergency legislation, which included non-payment to ASTI members of about €800 due to be reintroduced this year for supervision duties.
In response, the ASTI voted last month to withdraw supervision and substitution cover.
ASTI president Ed Byrne said earlier this weekend that expecting ASTI members to undertake supervision and substitution work for no pay while their colleagues in other teacher unions were receiving a payment was unacceptable.
However, Minister for Education Richard Bruton has insisted that a deal remained on the table for the ASTI which includes payment for supervision duties, pay increases of up to 22 per cent for new entrant teachers and greater flexibility over “Croke Park” hours.
This is based on the union agreeing to work the 33 additional hours, a move which has been rejected to date by the union.
