The President of the Irish National Teachers Organisation will tell teachers that industrial harmony will be threatened if the impact of inflation is not addressed by Government.
Joe McKeown will tell delegates at the union’s annual congress in Killarney that the recent increase in inflation has led to a serious erosion of the standard of living of teachers that needs to be addressed “urgently”.
Hundreds of teachers will meet in person for the first time in three years as their unions resume in-person conferences this week. Both last year and the year before saw events held online.
The Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland, will begin their annual convention in Cork tomorrow while the Teachers’ Union of Ireland delegates will gather from tomorrow in Waterford.
Opening the INTO congress this afternoon, Mr McKeown will warn that teachers will stand together to pursue proper pay increases and to ensure that INTO members are not taken for granted.
The union is due to debate a motion noting that while the annual rate of inflation rose to 5.3% last year, pay increases received by teachers amounted to just 1%.
The resolution instructs the union to immediately seek an increase in pay to compensate members for the cost of living increases which have occurred during the lifetime of the current pay deal.
Similar motions will be debated by the two second level unions with one proposal before TUI delegates seeking immediate renegotiation of Building Momentum to protect members from the effects of rising inflation, and calling for a ballot for industrial action on the issue if that becomes necessary.
Mr McKeown will also say that pay increases alone, however, will not address the crisis in housing which means that no recently qualified teacher can reasonably expect to be able to afford to buy a house in most parts of the country.
He will say that for many, even rented accommodation is out of reach.
The INTO president will warn that unless this critical issue is addressed the country will see another exodus of young and talented teachers.
Calling for the retention of supports provided to schools to help support pupils during the pandemic, Mr McKeown will say that the effects of Covid-19 on children’s educational development will be felt for many years to come, and that addressing those issues will require sustained financial support, additional staffing, and a “re-calibration of expectations”.
He will also strongly criticise the Government for the way in which pregnant teachers were treated over the past two years, saying it is “beyond belief” that pregnant teachers were forced to attend for work last autumn at a time when the Government was unable to offer vaccine protection.
Mr McKeown will tell delegates that this displayed a “reckless disregard” for their physical and mental health.
Mr McKeown will also say that LGBT+ teachers continue to suffer anxiety and apprehension in many schools. He will call on all patrons and management bodies to commit to ensuring that LGBT+ teachers and pupils are welcome and that discrimination of any sort against LGBT+ staff is unacceptable.
Minister for Education Norma Foley is due to address delegates at all three conferences this week. She will begin by addressing INTO delegates in Killarney tomorrow morning.
