Visiting teachers for Travellers are to consider strike action unless they get an APost allowance. The Minister for Education and Science, Micheal Martin, has increased the number of visiting teachers from 12 to 20 but he has not yet granted the allowance.
"We are being treated differently to other visiting teachers," says Una O'Neill, INTO staff representative. "Visiting teachers for deaf children, blind children and people with disabilities all receive A-Post allowance. We are the only group of visiting teachers who are not recognised. We feel very strongly that when you are working with marginalised people you become marginalised yourself. We work with a powerless group of people."
The responsibilities of visiting teachers have changed greatly since the scheme was introduced 17 years ago. Today the job includes being involved in the design and delivery of in-service courses and providing a service to children of second level as well as primary age. These extra duties should, the visiting teachers believe, be reflected in an additional allowance on top of their salary. A-Post holders get an allowance of £3,482 a year, whereas B-Post holders get only £1,540.
It's not about the extra money, says O'Neill, but more about recognition of the work they do. "This lack of recognition leads to low morale," she says. "It's very difficult because it's very wearing work and you're facing into the most awful living conditions with low morale in your client group."
According to an INTO spokeswoman, visiting teachers for Travellers have already balloted on strike action. However, they have held off industrial action pending the finalisation of PCW negotiations. The INTO is currently pursuing the matter. Visiting teachers for Travellers "have always been treated differently from the other visiting teachers", according to the INTO.
A Department spokesman said in response: "The INTO have made representations to the Department in relation to these posts in the context of the PCW proposals".
Teaching news is compiled by Catherine Foley
