Kieran Christie, general secretary of the ASTI, says the two-tier pay scale in the public service is damaging teaching and causing huge morale problems.
Research by the union indicates a €200,000 difference over the lifetime of a career between the two levels.
“Two people doing the same job, sitting side by side in the staff room and yet there is a huge difference in their pay,” he said on Newstalk Breakfast.
“That has to be addressed.”
He said that the union will be watching closely what emerges from the government formation talks and the Programme for Government.
“We never have any problem talking to the Minister for Education. We will put our case forcefully. We have a mandate to take action,” he said.
The Governmenthas already signalled it will abolish the two-tier public service pay structure, which has seen thousands of recently recruited gardaí, teachers and civil servants earn less than longer-serving colleagues.
The Government, according to highly placed sources, will effectively reverse cuts to allowances introduced for new personnel after 2012 in return for co-operation on productivity initiatives and a commitment to work within public service agreements such as the Lansdowne Road accord.
