The Irish Times reported on Monday that teachers in dozens of schools could become the first public sector workers to be made redundant since the start of the economic crash due to their escalating dispute with the Government.

Up to now, teachers who became surplus to requirments were redployed to other schools in need of teaching staff. However, the Government has withdrawn this protection for ASTI members following its rejection of settlement proposals last month. The Irish Times has indicated that 60 secondary schools have received letters notifying them of their surplus staff.

The ASTI has responded to the redundancy threat releasing the statement below:


"If the Government moves to make ASTI teachers redundant, the ASTI will immediately ballot its membership on industrial action, ASTI President Ed Byrne said today.

Mr Byrne said that there is an effective and cost efficient redeployment scheme in place for teachers and that making teachers redundant would have a negative impact on public funds.

“Currently surplus teachers are redeployed to schools where their skills are required. This represents value for money for the State and the tax payer. The threat by the Department of Education and Skills to make ASTI members redundant simply because they exercised their democratic right in a ballot is not only unnecessary, it will be significantly more costly for the State and ultimately for the tax payer.”

Mr Byrne said the threat of redundancies is another example of how the Government is using measures – including FEMPI legislation - to set aside normal industrial relations and punish trade union members for exercising their democratic rights"
 

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