Major opposition to the new national pay deal was confirmed last night when the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) became the first teachers' body to vote against the new programme.
The Programme for Prosperity and Fairness (PPF) was rejected by a 55:45 margin and the TUI will now cast its 11 votes against the PPF when the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) meets next week to decide its position. About 60 per cent of the TUI's 10,000 members voted in the ballot.
According to the TUI president, Mr Joe Carolan, the inflation figures which came out this week were a major factor in the No vote. He said some teachers took a view these would wipe out much of the increases in PPF.
With many members of the largest teachers' union - the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) - against the deal and the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI) deciding to leave Congress, the Government could be facing significant problems on the teachers' pay front.
The importance of the INTO vote has increased after the TUI decision and pro and anti-agreement groups are stepping up their efforts to swing final votes.
A group called Teachers Against the Partnership Deal said last night that teachers should be "taking the lead from nurses" in relation to future strategy. Its spokesman, Mr Eddie Conlon, said the three teachers' unions should meet immediately "to consider a common strategy which addresses the real needs of teachers".
He said the PPF was defeated because of fears over inflation, the failure to address the teachers' "early settlers" pay claim and a linkage in the PPF between pay and performance.
Mr Carolan said that while the TUI would be casting its 11 votes against the PPF next week, it would be bound by the overall decision of Congress.
The overall position within Congress is believed to be tight, but the large number of delegates' votes available to SIPTU - the State's largest trade union - is expected to be an important factor.
The ASTI is currently assessing its strategy and has already pledged to take industrial action if its 30 per cent pay claim is not granted. This week it denied this would lead to disruptions to this year's Leaving Certificate. But the position in relation to next year's exams is not clear at this stage. The vote on the deal by the INTO hangs in the balance with an important vote on Monday night at a branch in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, which has about 300 members, expected to have some bearing.
The pro-deal side was disappointed on Wednesday night when a crucial branch vote in Ennis, Co Clare, went against it.