The Teachers' Union of Ireland will begin a series of one-day strikes in VEC schools next month unless it is satisfied with commitments given by the Minister for Education on teacher representation on new vocational education committees.
The union had a meeting with senior Department of Education and Science officials last week at which some progress was reported.
The Minister, Mr Martin, has promised consultations on teacher representation on VECs - a longstanding demand of the TUI - will be finalised by next month; outline legislation will be ready by the spring; and legislation will be passed in the autumn.
The union is demanding at least two teacher representatives on all VECs, and wants the legislation in place before next June's local elections. Last year's Murray Report on the VEC sector recommended three teacher and three parent representatives.
However, the TUI will accept two representatives, given that the large-scale rationalisation of VECs recommended by that report is not going ahead, and therefore there will not be a smaller number of large VECs.
TUI sources said the Minister told the union he would be asking the new VECs appointed after next June's local elections to appoint teacher and parent representatives in advance of the new legislation.
He said because of the volume of education legislation it was unlikely the Vocational Education (Amendment) Act would be passed before the elections.
A letter was sent recently to TUI branch secretaries outlining the schedule for one-day strikes.