Primary teachers have warned the Government there could be further trouble in the education system unless they get a 20 per cent pay rise and improvements in their working conditions.
The Irish National Teachers' Organisation's (INTO) general secretary (designate), Mr John Carr, told an INTO principals' conference in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, that teachers have transformed the education system and now it is the Government's turn "to reciprocate". He said the union wanted a general increase of 20 per cent to reposition the teachers' scale from £20,000 to £40,000 by 2002.
"A general increase of 20 per cent will make some progress in reducing the gap identified between teachers' salaries and those in the private sector. In addition, it is required to reflect teachers' increased demands and workload and to reduce the size of pay differentials with overall earnings in comparable professions in the public sector."
The pay scale needed to be changed. It should be repositioned by 10 annual points and two long-service points, "similar to the administrative officer scale structure and other public sector scale structures". The INTO also wanted a restructuring of allowances to include a higher diploma allowance for all national teachers.
Other measures were: significant increases in qualification allowances; a "challenging post" allowance; a "special location" allowance; increased rates for part-time teachers.