The Teacher’s Union of Ireland has rejected the Government’s pay offer for supervision and substitution in a move described as a "disappointment" by the Minister for Education, Dr Woods.
The result showed 55 per cent of the members voted against the Government's £27-per-hour supervision offer.
The President of the TUI, Mr John McGowan said 64 per cent of its members had voted in the ballot.
Mr McGowan said there were a variety of reasons for the rejection which included how the deal would impact on local circumstances, the amount of money and the lack of pensionability on the offer.
He said it was to soon to say what action would be taken following the rejection but said if the Government wished to resolve the issue they would have to make a better offer.
General Secretary Mr Jim Dorney dismissed notions the rejection of the offer meant schools were now facing further strikes.
He said the TUI would exhaust the negotiation process before teachers walk out of classes.
"The Executive Council needs to consider its position and we will need to explore with the Department of Education if there are further processes of negotiation that we can embrace," he said.
A Department of Education spokeswoman described the result as disappointing.
"The minister [Dr Woods] is very disappointed at the result which rejected the Government offer which he believes to be a fair and generous offer."
Mr McGowan rejected the idea that the no vote will be seen as a boost for hardliners in the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI), which also decided to reject the deal without balloting its members.
"Our demands have been similar but it can not be read in terms of factions within unions. It was made on the basis of the offer," he said.