A chara, - Media reports of the ASTI dispute appear to accept that there is no support within the INTO for the ASTI action. This is not the case. As a candidate nominated to stand for election for general secretary of the INTO on the basis of my disapproval of the PPF and leadership pay strategies generally, I speak for many in the organisation who strongly support the fundamental case of the striking teachers, and wish them a speedy and satisfactory resolution.
The secondary teachers, as they have repeatedly explained, decided that the PPF did not serve their interests. Since they would be forced to accept it if they remained as members of ICTU, they elected to leave that body. This is entirely their right. Teachers are among the few groups of workers who have not received upfront increases over and above the PPF. Many in the public service - health board and local authority craft workers, for example - have been granted 8 per cent over and above the PPF, which is being paid as I write. They have retained the right to make further claims under benchmarking.
The INTO, pathetically enough, says it usually receives around 10 per cent from pay reviews such as it accepts benchmarking to be. This seems to mean that we will get 2.5 per cent backdated to December 2001. This is hardly likely to tempt the ASTI into joining us.
Mary Harney put it best: "If you pay peanuts, you will get monkeys." The ASTI wants a decent salary for teachers, now. If other groups can be given upfront increases, why not teachers?
Why is a billion pounds available for a sports stadium, and nothing for teachers for another couple of years? Why can legislation be rushed through for a rock concert while students sitting their Leaving Certificate are left in the lurch? There must be a fair bit of overlap between disappointed Slane hopefuls and distraught Leaving Cert students. I wonder what those young people think of Government priorities. - Is mise,
Brenda Ni Shuilleabhain, Hillview, Rathcoole, Co Dublin.