ASTI CONFERENCE: The ASTI yesterday reaffirmed its opposition to rejoining the ICTU. But a leading figure urged delegates to make common cause with other public service unions to protect pensions.
A motion supported by the leadership calling for the union to reaffliate to the ICTU was withdrawn. The move acknowledged the huge groundswell against any such move among delegates.
ASTI delegates see their isolation from ICTU as a mark of their independence and strength. Yesterday, during a lengthy debate on threats to public service pensions, the ICTU was accused of "selling-out" on the issue of pensions.
But Mr Noel Buckley - widely perceived as the hugely influential figure in the union - said the union should seek other ways of pursuing the pensions issue. "There are other meeting rooms aside from ICTU meeting rooms," he said.
Mr Buckley said the ASTI should lead a campaign by all public service union to protect pensions in the light of the proposals in the Commission on Public Service Pensions.
The report, issued last year, recommended that the link should be broken between pensions increases and wage increases.
The ASTI is also concerned at the proposal to add 1 per cent to pension contributions. Mr Buckley said; "The ASTI is the most informed union in the country".
In other developments yesterday, one delegate, Ms Phil Roberts from Dublin called for the resignation of the union general secretary, Mr Charlie Lennon. She refused to withdraw the demand when requested to do so by the ASTI president, Ms Catherine Fitzpatrick.
In her address, the former union president, Ms Bernadine O'Sullivan, denied any rift with Mr Lennon.
On pensions, she would donate the 1 per cent non-pensionable element of the PPF to St Vincent de Paul. Many teachers, she said, would require the services of this agency if the attack on their pensions was sustained.
The new ASTI treasurer, Ms Patricia Wroe, said the pension issue affected 250,000 public servants and the union could take the lead in highlighting the potential dangers.
She called on the media to report the pensions issue with as much vigour as other debates at the conference.
The conference passed a motion stating that any changes in the existing public service pension as a result of the Commission were unacceptable without the explicit approval of ASTI members in a ballot of members.