Secondary teachers will hold a crucial meeting this Saturday on whether to restart their industrial action over pay, which includes a possible ban on exam work and further strikes.
The Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI) is angry that the Labour Court is unable to make a recommendation on its 30 per cent pay claim this week.
The union's central executive committee (CEC) will discuss whether teachers should accept the delay or press ahead with strikes and the withdrawal from exam work, which is planned to begin next Monday.
The Labour Court has told the union it will endeavour to make a recommendation by March 10th, but it is understood to be concerned about deadlines being laid down by the ASTI.
The union's standing committee met last night to consider a Labour Court letter which outlines the delay. It postponed any action and asked the CEC to consider the issue.
One proposal it considered was to postpone any decision on pay strategy until the Labour Court makes it recommendation but this was rejected, according to sources.
The 180-member CEC is regarded as slightly more moderate than the 22-member standing committee, but the outcome of Saturday's meeting is hard to predict.
Many teachers are unhappy that the dispute is about to enter its fifth month and want a resolution. But others want to ensure that an offer is made which comes close to its 30 per cent claim.
Some ASTI members are unhappy the Labour Court has dealt with the Aer Lingus dispute first, and began to consider its claim only in the latter half of last week.
In a statement yesterday, the general secretary of the ASTI, Mr Charlie Lennon, said: "The duration of this dispute has created much anger among ASTI members who believe the Government jeopardised any possibility of an earlier resolution by illegally docking the pay of members who embarked on a work-to-rule type of action."
Meanwhile, the other teacher unions are completing their submissions to the Government's benchmarking pay review body. Both the Irish National Teachers' Organisation and the Teachers' Union of Ireland want pay increased beyond the 30 per cent that is sought by the ASTI.