Today's one-day strike by the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) will see 620 second-level schools close. The union's plans for the next couple of weeks, which had initially involved a series of regional actions, now instead focus on six days when ASTI members will withdraw what they describe as "voluntary" duties in schools. The union says there is widespread public support for its action.

These duties include supervision of students at break times and short-term cover for absent colleagues. School managers say schools will have to close under these circumstances. The present argument concerns whether teachers' pay should be withheld for these days when they have only, technically, declined to do duties for which they are not actually contracted - even if the result is school closure.

Late last week it was suggested that the Department of Education and Science would pay insurance and other costs for schools that wanted to employ parents to cover for the duties being withdrawn by teachers. ASTI members reacted angrily, suggesting parents were being recruited as strike-breakers, and to date it appears few schools are taking up the offer.

The days in question are this Thursday, November 16th; Wednesday, November 22nd; Thursday, November 23rd; Tuesday, November 28th; Wednesday, November 29th; and Thursday, November 30th.