The ASTI has this evening voted to remain outside the benchmarking process.
A ballot on whether the union would re-enter talks with the Government, along with the TUI and INTO, over supervision and substitution was taken at the union’s annual conference in Bundoran today.
There was a majority vote against the move with 264 members voting against a resumption of talks and just 126 in support of the proposition.
The ASTI’s ban on supervision and substitution duties has caused increasing anger among members recently but today the union has reinforced its decision not to enter talks until its pay claim is resolved.
Yesterday ASTI general secretary Mr Charlie Lennon, who has been blamed by some sections of the union for the failures of the pay campaign, said in an Irish Timesinterview the tactics of a small group of members were damaging the union's reputation and the standing of the teachers' profession.
Mr Lennon also signalled his unease about the union's decision to leave the ICTU and his concern about its continued refusal to negotiate a better deal on payment for supervision and substitution until the overall pay claim is resolved.