Hopes of a common approach by teachers in their fight for a major pay increase were dealt a blow yesterday when a meeting of their union leaderships failed to agree on a way forward.
While there was unanimous agreement that teachers deserved a pay rise of up to 30 per cent, the unions were split over the strategy they should adopt.
The leadership of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland told the meeting in Dublin that the only way forward was through industrial action. It has submitted its 30 per cent claim to arbitration but is planning to take industrial action if - as expected - that process fails to deliver.
In contrast, the Irish National Teachers' Organisation and the Teachers' Union of Ireland maintained that teachers should use the new benchmarking body set up under the national pay deal to secure the extra money. The differences meant the unions could not agree a joint statement after the meeting.
The ASTI wanted to extend the meeting, but the other unions brought it to an end. No date for another meeting was set and the gap between the unions shows no sign of closing as teachers prepare for their summer break.
While no agreement was reached on overall strategy, the unions agreed that inflation needed to be tackled urgently. They agreed also that the 3 per cent "early settlers" pay offer from the Government was inadequate.
The mood at the meeting was described as "strained" by sources, with the ASTI telling the other unions that they should support its claim for a 30 per cent pay increase and the action needed to get this. Its president, Ms Bernadine O'Sullivan, also complained about leaks to the media over recent months, which she claimed had damaged the cause of teachers.
The president of the TUI, Mr Joe Carolan, said after the meeting: "If we have different strategies, we are doomed to failure. The differences over strategy will only play into the hands of the Government."
Mr Carolan said that his union was committed to the bench marking body which was expected to be set up within weeks as part of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. This body will evaluate productivity and the workload of public sector groups - including teachers - and assess whether this should lead to extra pay.
The INTO and the TUI are planning to tell this body that teachers have introduced a range of new subjects and new curriculums to schools and should be rewarded for this. Some of these changes will be introduced over the next year or two and the two unions will argue that teachers should get extra pay for helping to implement them.
However, the ASTI has dismissed the new benchmarking body and accuses the other two unions of not being able to explain or define its role. It is planning to ballot its members in September after a sub-committee reports on the exact details of the proposed industrial action.
Ms O'Sullivan is due to step down as president of the ASTI at the end of July and her successor will be Mr Don McCluskey. He has also supported calls for industrial action in pursuit of the 30 per cent pay claim.