TD slams Department of Education “Bully boy tactics” in teacher dispute

Deputy Brid Smith has called on the Department of Education to withdraw threats it has issued to teachers in the ASTI.Teachers are been told they must sign up and agree to substitution and supervisor duties by tomorrow or face been taken off the payroll.Brid Smith said today: “this is the worst example of bully boy tactics and intimidation I have seen in a dispute in years. If any employer in the private sector behaved like this it would be outrageous, but the fact that this is the Government makes it even more so.”

Deputy Smith said that the dispute cannot be resolved by intimidation and bullying. “The ASTI are absolutely right to fight for equal pay for equal work and I support them 100%. This is a cheap attempt to rail road these workers that will not succeed. I will be raising these outrageous moves in the Dail.”

In the meantime Deputy Smith urged the union and its members not to be moved by these tactics and also urged Minister Bruton to deal with the substantive issue of equal pay for equal work. “It remains an insult to all public sector workers that a large cohort of newly recruited workers are paid significantly less than their senior colleagues for doing the same work. It is unjust and cannot last. Piecemeal restoration is not good enough. These workers could be suffering these discriminatory wage levels for years to come. This cannot be accepted any longer.”

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Contact- Bríd Smith TD- 087 909 0166

Nick Lee- 087 615 6473