After a month of sporadic school closures, yesterday's meeting between the Minister for Education, Dr Woods and the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI) represents the first real engagement between both sides. The statements made by both sides after the meeting gave no hint of real progress but, behind the scenes, it is clear they are attempting to break the impasse.
The pressure on the ASTI has intensified after last night's PPF review delivered significant concessions for the other teaching unions. In particular, the payment date for the benchmarking review body has been fast-tracked. This represents a substantial negotiating victory for both the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) and the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO). This morning, the ASTI appears more isolated than ever as it begins its eighth day of industrial action with another one-day strike.
Today, the union hopes to mobilise up to 10,000 teachers for a march on the Dail - fifteen years to the day since a similar protest by teachers. The contrast between then and now is revealing. Fifteen years ago, teachers were united and could not be easily defeated. Today, the ASTI is on a solo run while the TUI and the INTO are working their pay claim, quite successfully, through the PPF. Fifteen years ago, the teachers' strike drew strong levels of public support. Today, while most reasonable people believe teachers have a strong case for a pay increase, they question what teachers are willing to give in return.
The ASTI has still to explain what precisely it is willing to offer in return for a 30 per cent pay increase. It has still to work out its bottom line. Critically, it has still to explain why it is so reluctant to engage with the benchmarking review. The benchmarking body, which will compare public service pay with that in the private sector, would appear to provide an ideal forum for the ASTI. The union has made much of how teachers' salaries have lagged behind other graduate sectors; benchmarking provides an opportunity to rectify matters. Benchmarking will also reward teachers for past changes in productivity - such as the introduction of new courses and curricula. It also holds out the promise of more money for future changes in productivity.
The ASTI had objected to the benchmarking body because it would not deliver any new payments until 2003. But last night's developments, promising payments from 2001, remove this barrier to discussion. The other teaching unions appear satisfied they can achieve good progress in the benchmarking body. But the ASTI continues to go its own way. It continues to call on the Minister to establish some other forum for discussion - even though the benchmarking body is ready to roll.
The Government has a responsibility to help the ASTI which is, at last, working on an exit strategy. Irrespective of the current dispute, there is a strong case for a Commission on Teaching or some other review body which would conduct a comprehensive review of the profession. It is clear that the ASTI is casting around for some forum to help resolve the dispute. The benchmarking process must remain pivotal.