Members of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) executive committee have warned strike action in schools may resume if a significant deal is not struck by the end of this month.

Representatives of the union and the Department of Education attended initial talks on Wednesday with the Teachers’ Conciliation Council, an arbitration body, to explore possibilities to end the industrial relations disputes which closed many schools this week.

The ASTI is fighting four separate battles over issues such as working additional hours, supervision and substitution duties, new-entrant pay levels and junior cycle reform. The Department of Education is understood to be keen to ensure any deal will resolve all these issues.

The ASTI's withdrawal of supervision duties and strike action over new-entrant pay led to the closure of hundreds of secondary schools. On Tuesday night it announced it was deferring these actions for the remainder of the month after taking up an invitation to talks by Anna Perry, the chair of the Teachers' Conciliation Council.

The announcement paved the way for the reopening of schools on Wednesday.

It is expected the talks will continue until the end of this month. ASTI members will be available for teaching and supervision and substitution duties for the duration of the talks.

Assessments

However, the union is maintaining its refusal to work additional “Croke Park” hours, along with its policy of non-co-operation with junior cycle classroom-based assessments.

Mathew O'Connor, a member of the union's standing committee for Kerry and Limerick, said: "The intervention is welcome, but we must protect our most vulnerable teachers . However, we may be looking at further action before the end of the year if nothing comes out of this process ... we remain very united."

Andrew Phelan, a member of the union's standing committee in the Dublin northwest area, said he was not confident a deal would emerge by the end of this month."It remains to be seen what comes out of these talks, but I am sceptical. I don't know if anything will be achieved because the Government hasn't budged."

He added: “The position is that the strike has been deferred, but if nothing comes out of it we have the option of further strike days.”

Large majority

The decision to enter into talks and suspend the union’s industrial action was taken by the union’s 23-person executive committee on Tuesday night. It is understood a large majority of members voted to enter into the talks, with just four members opposing the move.

Among the union’s demands is a timetable for the restoration of pay for teachers hired since 2011 who are on lower pay scales.

The move has been resisted by Minister for Education Richard Bruton, who has insisted any deal must be within the confines of the Lansdowne Road pay agreement.

He has said a deal is on the table, which has been signed up to by other teaching unions, with pay increases of up to 22 per cent for new entrants. The offer, however, is conditional on ASTI members working additional “Croke Park” hours.

The union has insisted its members have rejected the Lansdowne Road pay agreement and should not be forced back into it.