Government must act as teachers vote for work-to-rule
Government must act as teachers vote for work-to-rule - The Labour Party
– Near-unanimous teacher vote demands urgent pay talks
Labour education spokesperson Eoghan Kenny TD has called on Government to immediately re-enter meaningful pay talks after primary school teachers voted overwhelmingly for industrial action. Teachers will begin a work-to-rule on 5 October in response to Government’s failure to secure a new public service pay agreement.
Deputy Kenny said:
“This near-unanimous vote is extraordinary and must serve as a wake-up call to Government. Primary teachers do essential work in classrooms and communities across Ireland. They have faced soaring housing, energy and everyday living costs while Government allowed the previous public service agreement to expire without putting a replacement in place.
“Nobody wants disruption in our schools but Government’s failure to engage has brought us to this point.
“This dispute reaches far beyond education. Nurses, civil servants and other public servants have also delivered overwhelming mandates for industrial action.
“Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael knew when the previous agreement would expire. Its failure to secure a successor was avoidable and irresponsible. Ministers must stop taking the goodwill of teachers and other public servants for granted.”