A delegate at last weekend's special ASTI convention gave a Nazi salute in the direction of the leadership during an unruly meeting in which leading members were booed and cat-called, it has emerged.
The incidents took place during a closed session of the convention which saw ASTI turn away from its hardline position on a range of issues.
The unruly incidents - involving about 30 of the 400 delegates - occurred despite an appeal from union president Mr P.J. Sheehy for an effective debate, focusing on issues and not personalities, The Irish Times has established.
Mr Sheehy was subjected to a barrage of criticism from a small minority at the meeting last weekend after he refused to accept any amendments to the motions before the convention. He said the motions were carefully drawn up to reflect the views of the union's 17,000 members made known during a recent consultation process. There was a danger, he warned, that the convention would not reflect the views of grassroots members if it drew up its own amendments.
At this stage, there were chaotic scenes as a vocal minority of about 30 delegates signalled their anger. One delegate gave a Nazi salute in the direction of the leadership.
This prompted a wave of protest from other delegates. Mr Michael Ward, the former treasurer of the union, said he never envisaged a day when this kind of behaviour would be tolerated at a convention of the union.
Yesterday, Mr Sheehy would not comment on the specific incidents at the meeting. However, he did point out: " I am not there to represent any single group. I am there to represent the 17,000 members of the union. The convention provided a platform which allowed us to hear the views of members. We are there to serve the needs of members."
The convention voted by 309 to 136 votes to put the Government's offer on supervision and substitution payments to a ballot. This will take place next month. It also agreed to ballot on the current boycott on co-operation with new syllabuses in home economics.
The meeting is seen as marking a significant victory for Mr Sheehy. It is also certain to boost the position of the union's general secretary, Mr Charlie Lennon, who has been under sustained attack from the hard-line group within the union.
The meeting adopted a "wait and see" approach on benchmarking. The benchmarking review proposed a 13 per cent payment for teachers, well short of the 30 per cent ASTI was seeking.
However, ASTI sources admit the economic downturn has changed the whole nature of the debate on pay. They acknowledge that the 30 per cent demand is no longer realistic. One source said: "The best we can hope for is a short timetable for the payment of the 13 per cent from benchmarking. It is a question of salvaging the best deal we can ."