Second-level teacher unions have 'serious concerns' over new pay deal

SECOND-LEVEL TEACHING UNIONS have expressed “serious concerns” over the public sector pay deal, claiming that they have been undercut on a mechanism that allows local negotiations on pay.

The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) and the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) claimed on Thursday that half of the pay packet set aside for local bargaining has been pushed out beyond the timeframe of the new pay agreement.

The deal agreed this week provides for pay increases totalling 10.75% in the period up to March 2029 for more than 36,000 post-primary teachers.

However, the two teaching unions have hit out at the terms of the deal and have said they are seeking “urgent clarification” from the Department of Education on how the agreement will impact terms included in a plan to redevelop the Leaving Cert cycle.

In a joint statement, they said that local bargaining provisions will be less than had been originally promised.

Local bargaining allows trade unions to negotiate custom pay adjustments, anomalies or structural issues in local workplaces.

The unions said there had been a commitment from the Department of Education to the delivery of a 3% increase for teachers under local bargaining.

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As part of this commitment, a 1% increase was paid to teachers under the Public Service Agreement 2024-2026, with the remaining 2% to be paid to teachers through a successor agreement under local bargaining.

The unions said on Thursday evening that the new Public Service Agreement provides only for a further 1% under local bargaining in March 2029, with the final 1% now pushed out to a future agreement post-March 2029.

General Secretary of the ASTI Linda Kelly said teachers have a “clear expectation with regard to the outstanding 1%” and they want answers on whether this aspect of the previous agreements will be met.

“The implementation of the new Senior Cycle is by far the most significant challenge facing teachers and schools in recent decades,” Kelly said.

“It is vital that the Department of Education and Youth delivers on its commitments to teachers and their unions. The text of the current proposals is very concerning.”

TUI general secretary Michael Gillespie said that the Department of Education and Department of Public Expenditure must provide “absolute clarity without delay” on the date on which the outstanding 1% under local bargaining will be paid.

“This is essential to ensure that the commitments made to teachers under the Senior Cycle Redevelopment Implementation Support Measures agreement are honoured in full,” Gillespie said.

Both government departments have been contacted for comment.