Teachers’ strike: Talks to resume between ASTI and Department of Education

Talks will resume on Thursday morning between the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) and the Department of Education in a bid to avert further school closures next week.

A total of 507 schools (about two out of three)in the Republic closed last Thursday as members of the ASTI staged the first in a series of stoppages over lower pay rates for recently recruited staff.

The ASTI has directed members to cease providing supervision and substitution duties from Monday, November 7th, when schools re-open following the midterm break

This would close hundreds of schools on health and safety grounds, mainly because school managers say there is not enough time to recruit, vet and train supervisors to fill in on yard duty and to take classes.

Last week the president of the ASTI Ed Byrne, said that it is “unlikely” the union will secure an agreement in time to avert the indefinite closure of hundreds of schools following the break.