A member of the ASTI executive is facing disciplinary procedures after refusing to attend parent-teacher meetings at his school, despite a union agreement for teachers to do so under the terms of the national pay deal.
Mr Bernard Lynch, a teacher at Marian College in Dublin, sent out letters to parents indicating that he would not be attending the meetings, which took place in October, November and last week.
Under the terms of the Sustaining Progress pay deal, which by June will have given teachers pay increases of 9.5 per cent, second-level teachers are required to attend three parent-teacher meetings a year outside of normal school hours.
They are required to remain on school premises until 6.45 p.m. In practice, most see remaining parents on an informal basis after this time.
But Mr Lynch has so far refused to attend the meetings, and has instead sent out an evaluation sheet to parents accompanied by an offer of a follow-up meeting within school hours.
Under established disciplinary procedures, which have now been initiated against him by the school, this means he could be subject to a variety of sanctions ranging from a verbal warning to dismissal.
Mr Lynch declined to comment when contacted by The Irish Times.
However, his concerns are understood to revolve around the fact that the current arrangement does not allow adequate time for teachers to provide a professional service to parents; the health and safety implications for teachers forced to attend such meetings after a full day's work; and the lack of parity with primary teachers, who are required to attend one parent-teacher meeting a year outside of school hours.
While acting in a personal capacity, he is believed to be ready to contest strenuously any disciplinary action.
It was unclear yesterday what support Mr Lynch has from the ASTI for his action.
Although a member of its national executive, he is acting against its official policy.
However, any individual teacher who is encountering difficulties within their school is ordinarily entitled to support from their union.
Mr Paul Meany, principal of Marian College, who is also president of the Joint Managerial Body which represents school managers, said he was not prepared to comment while internal disciplinary procedures were being applied.
Mr George O'Callaghan, general secretary of the managerial body, and Mr John White, acting general secretary of the ASTI, also declined to comment on the matter.
Mr Lynch, a member of the union's standing committee, took the ASTI to the High Court four years ago to compel it to allow him to attend its committee meetings.
One of the union's most colourful members, he had been accused of disrupting meetings of the committee, and was refused permission to participate in them.
The ASTI subsequently agreed to pay his legal fees of €76,000.
Negotiations on phase two of Sustaining Progress are currently under way.