Sir, - To help non-ASTI folk understand and sympathise with their situation better, perhaps an ASTI member can explain the following:
In most jobs it is normal practice for fellow workers to cover for the short-term absence of colleagues. Such give-and-take is logical, otherwise over-employment would have to be practised on a large scale. Why do ASTI members believe it is not part of their normal work to do the same?
Likewise, why is supervision of breaks organised on a fair basis a problem, when it is done inside a normal 48-hour working week?
In every school there must be teachers of minority subjects with a lot of `free periods". Should they not earn their salary better by supervising breaks?
Why do teachers with far longer holidays than the majority of workers insist on having "parent-teacher" meetings and various training courses during term? What scientific proof is there that teaching is more stressful than bus driving, factory-working, trawler-crewing, building, etc.?
These and other similar points mystify me and many non-teacher workers. - Yours, etc.,
Norman Lee, Manor Avenue, Greystones, Co Wicklow.