The ASTI is to ballot its members on a set of proposals from the Department of Education and Skills following talks which concluded earlier this week. 
 
The decision to hold a ballot was taken by the ASTI Central Executive Council (CEC) today. The CEC is recommending that members reject the proposals.
 
The union will continue to defer its industrial action pending the outcome of the ballot. The ballot will take place in January 2017. 
 
Commenting on today’s decision, ASTI President Ed Byrne said that CEC had a difficult decision to make:
 
“Teachers have suffered savage cutbacks to education resources, attacks on their pay and conditions, and recently qualified teachers have been singled out for additional cuts. In opposing these measures, ASTI members have had to contend with the Government’s unilateral use of the draconian FEMPI legislation against them. This has included the removal of improved access to job security for young teachers, the removal of payment in recognition of supervision and substitution work, and the threat of redundancies. However, despite this CEC is of the firm belief that the proposals are not acceptable, and should be rejected by members.”
 
In October this year, ASTI members voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action over unequal pay for recently qualified teachers and the worsening of ASTI members’ terms and conditions. ASTI members engaged in two days of strike action over unequal pay and withdrew from supervision and substitution duties on November 7th. Industrial action was deferred on November 8th for the duration of the talks process. 

Source: ASTI Press Release

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