ICTU debate: The ASTI conference has rejected by an overwhelming majority calls for the union to return to the ICTU.
Delegates also rejected a motion calling for discussion on the possible merger with the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) by 246 to 115 votes.
A highly-charged and emotional debate on both issues was dominated by speakers who were strongly critical of the manner in which the ICTU and the TUI had failed to support ASTI's pay campaign. There was also widespread criticism of so-called union "fat cats" in ICTU - some speakers said ICTU president Senator Joe O'Toolewas out of touch with ordinary workers.
But other speakers for both motions said the ASTI needed to end "the blame game", stop looking backward and move on.
One of the sponsors of the motion, Mr Damien Cooke (Tipperary), said the union now needed to move back to the hub of trade union power in advance of the next national pay deal. Centralised bargaining on pay was where the action was; the Government would not negotiate with them if they remained outside.
But Mr Larry McGuinness (Central Executive Council), said that "official Ireland" now comprised the Government, IBEC and ICTU. Congress, he said, was interested only in protecting the cartel of consensus.
"Bad and all as the 13 per cent from benchmarking was, it would have been a hell of a lot worse if we had not gone on a solo run. I did not see too many people in ICTU alongside us when outside on the picket line," he said.
A former president, Ms Catherine Fitzpatrick (Cork), said the union needed to recognise that members had supported benchmarking and that the union needed to look to the future.
"There is no point in blaming ICTU for not supporting us. Think of the needs of the members and seize the moment," she said.
The union treasurer, Ms Patricia Wroe, advised that it would be unwise to re-enter congress while a legal challenge to benchmarking (from university lecturers) was still pending.
On the general issue, she said that a return to ICTU would be portrayed in the media as total capitulation, something which would be very damaging to the morale of teachers.
Mr Michael Barry (Cork), said the union needed to face the reality that "we have been beaten". It was time, he said, to end the isolationism.
Mr Bernard Lynch (standing committee) questioned how any one could label the ASTI pay campaign a failure, given the cumulative 21 per per cent increase achieved from benchmarking and the national pay deal. In a scathing critique of media coverage, he said he retained a compost heap at home to make use of articles by the Irish Times Education Correspondent.
On the TUI merger, the proposers of the motion stressed it was simply an effort to stimulate debate. They had hoped that that a report on the possible merger could be prepared for next year's conference.
But, Mr Paddy Pender (Dublin South County and CEC), said ordinary members had little real power in the big unions.
The bigger unions, he said, develop a corporate trade unionism dominated by the self-interest of the leadership, not the concerns of ordinary members. The TUI had refused to support the ASTI in its pay struggle, he said.
In his view the union should focus on the failure by its leadership instead of being distracted by the TUI debate.
Mr Kevin McEneany (Monaghan), said that there was strength in unity. Discussion on a TUI/ASTI was well advanced a decade ago but foundered because of procedural rows.
A merger in the future now looks very unlikely after yesterday's vote.
