The Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey, has chosen a policy of confrontation in dealing with teachers, the ASTI has claimed.
Speaking this afternoon, the ASTI's acting general secretary, Mr John White, said the union was "disappointed" with the minister's decision not to attend their annual conference in Killarney this Easter.
Mr Dempsey communicated his decision by letter to the ASTI and the TUI last night, after the unions rejected his request to conduct a YES (Your Education System) style forum.
The minister may still attend the INTO conference in Traleee next month, however, with discussions set to take place next week between his officals and INTO representatives as to the most suitable format under which Mr Dempsey would attend.
Mr White accused the minister of adopting a confrontational view. "We see the education system as a partnership between ourselves and the minister. There are many issues we could discuss but he has chosen to make this into a kind of confrontation," he said. "We have no problem having a YES type debate but in the middle of our conference is not the way to do that."
Mr White suggested that it was up to the INTO to formulate its own policy in regard to the minister's request to hold a forum.
The TUI, which represents teachers and lecturers in Ireland engaged in post-primary, higher and further education, could not be reached for comment. The minister has also rejected an invitation to attend its Easter conference in Galway, on the basis that union rejected his suggestion of a YES style forum.
The YES roadshows, which take the form of an independent-chaired public meeting on education issues, are under way at 18 venues across the country. Mr Dempsey has been present at a number of the meetings, some of which have attracted attendances of several hundred people.