ASTI to ask members to consider industrial action over safety concerns

THE Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) has said that it will ballot members for industrial action due to concerns over staff safety.

The ASTI’s central executive met today and decided to ballot members.

They say that some ‘key issues’ have emerged since the reopening of schools in recent weeks.

ASTI members have serious concerns regarding the health and safety with matters such as physical distancing, the provision of PPE, testing and tracing times and information regarding remote learning raised.

In a statement, the ASIT President, Ann Piggott, said: “The safety of students and their teachers must be the priority.

“The fact that high risk teachers have been asked to work in crowded classroom is unacceptable to us as a trade union.

“It is unthinkable that at a time when teachers have demonstrated tremendous commitment to their students and to keeping education going, that schools would introduce work changes which have a further negative impact on teachers’ working lives.

“This smacks of crisis opportunism and cannot go unchallenged.”