Teachers, fairness and pay

Sir, – In “Teachers and gardaí criticise proposed public service pay deal” (June 9th), I read that “Government sources argued that pay levels for new entrants, including a €35,000 salary for new teachers, were adequate”. I wish to point out a teacher on the post-2011 pay scale would have to reach point seven to earn that sum. On the post-2012 scale, a teacher would fare slightly better and receive that salary after reaching point four. The entry point on all three salary scales is either €28,000 or €31,000. This means that colleagues recruited within days of each other are paid in a discriminatory fashion for carrying out the same work. As a teacher of five years, I for one will most certainly vote against the continuation of such unfair and deeply unjust treatment of newer entrants to teaching. – Yours, etc,

STEPHEN O’HARA,

Ballincollig,

Co Cork.