Letters

Teachers and pay

A basic lack of respect

Mon Oct 31 2022 - 00:05

Sir, – Teachers were due a 1 per cent pay rise on October 1st as part of the previous pay agreement, regardless of the result of a new proposed pay agreement vote. October payslips have not reflected this pay rise and we are now waiting for an overdue 1 per cent, as well as a further 3 per cent as agreed in the new pay agreement voted on this month. No date for this payment has been announced, although one of the selling points to vote Yes was that it could be paid with lump sums prior to Christmas. A previous pay increase for post-2012 teachers to compensate for lack of allowances due in February 2022 was only paid this month, seven months later. It is not unusual for exam staff to be paid several months after work has been completed.

Pay is a condition of an employment contract and an essential one at that. If a pay rise is due, it should be paid when it is due, regardless of other factors occurring. This is symptomatic of the basic lack of respect teachers feel they are treated with. The Department of Education wonders why it can’t get staff generally or for State exams. Perhaps it needs to look at how it conduct its business. – Yours, etc,

NIAMH BYRNE,

Fairview,

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Dublin 3.