TEACHERS UNION of Ireland (TUI) general secretary Peter MacMenamin has written to other Ictu member unions asking them to support its position that only those affected by changes to working conditions should be entitled to decide such matters.
If successful, this could lead Ictu to adopt a position allowing for local bargaining when it comes to the conditions of service of individual union members.
In a letter to delegates who are due to attend Thursday's special Ictu delegate conference, which will consider on what basis Ictu might enter new national pay talks, Mr MacMenamin asks them to back the TUI's position.
He notes that the TUI submitted a motion to last year's Ictu biennial delegate conference in Bundoran, which was ruled out of order at that time.
This stated that "some affiliate unions have a difficulty with the concept of the conditions of service and other work-related changes for their members being determined by aggregate vote of Ictu membership, as happens sometimes in national agreements, rather than by a vote of the members concerned".
As a result, it called for Ictu's executive to "provide for a means by which unions can protect their own independence and integrity within Congress while participating fully in National Agreements." Mr MacMenamin states in his letter that this motion is being put forward for consideration at Thursday's conference.
"It has been suggested that if the TUI amendment is passed, that it in effect heralds the end of national partnership agreements as we know them," he states.
"I do not accept this. National partnerships existed for many years addressing the change agenda but without explicit changes in conditions of service.
"My union believes that it is a matter of fundamental trade union democracy that only members affected by proposed changes in their conditions of service should have a say in this regard.
"It is not a matter for teachers to vote on changes in the conditions of service of persons other than teachers and it is equally not a matter for persons other than teachers to have a vote on the conditions of service of teachers."
Speaking to The Irish Times last night, Mr MacMenamin said he hoped the TUI's position would be taken on board at the special delegate conference.
He added that the teacher unions are agreed that there should be no further changes to the conditions of service of teachers, and stressed that the TUI has "no desire to withdraw from Ictu."