The development of closer links between the three main teaching unions, which may eventually lead to a single union representing 47,000 teachers, is to be considered at a meeting of union leaders next month.
Union sources have confirmed that a meeting of the heads of the ASTI, TUI and the INTO to discuss areas of greater convergence is scheduled to take place in September. The discussions are due to take place during regular meetings between the presidents and general secretaries of the unions.
Among the areas which will be discussed are industrial relations, teacher pay levels, educational policy, training and publications and communications.
Significantly, it is understood that the ASTI's standing committee may also consider proposals to explore the possibility of a merger between the 17,000-member secondary teachers union, over 10,000 TUI members and some 20,000 INTO members.
The proposal, to be tabled by last year's ASTI president, Mr Pat Cahill, has emerged amid concern within the union that it was left isolated during its lengthy pay dispute two years ago.
As all teachers are working to a common salary scale, many believe it would make good sense for them to develop closer links.
In 1994, talks on a possible merger between the ASTI and the TUI achieved considerable progress, but the initiative petered out because of minor local difficulties.
Despite this, there are significant obstacles to teacher unity, not least the ASTI's decision to leave the ICTU.
Mr Paddy Healy, president of the TUI, said he believed all three unions "naturally have a lot of common interests". These interests could be "brought forward" by the formation of greater links between the unions.
While nobody could rule out eventual unification, it was important in these matters to "hasten slowly, but purposefully". However his union's executive had not yet had an opportunity to discuss the matter.
"I think that all options are definitely on the table," he said. "No one would rule a merger out, but at the same time the notion (at this stage) of a complete merger is a little bit extreme."
Mr John White, acting general secretary of the ASTI, said there had been a number of attempts by the three unions to find areas where they could coalesce.
Next month's meeting represented "tentative discussions" on where there could be greater convergence. This could lead to a federation of unions, a confederation of unions, or nowhere.
The INTO general secretary, Mr John Carr, said the creation of a federated structure "would allow teachers to work even more closely together. It would create the largest and certainly the most influential professional body in the country.
"Indeed, the issue has been on the INTO agenda since its foundation in 1868. At various times since then the issue has been discussed and actively pursued, but actual unity has always eluded us. As teachers, we have more to unite us than to divide us."
Mr Carr said there would need to be discussion at branch and district level of the INTO before any progress could be made. There would also have to be special provision for the INTO's 5,000 members in Northern Ireland.
