The president of the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland has warned that the union's membership does not respond well to threats.
At a media briefing in the run up to a crucial ballot by members, ASTI President Ed Byrne accused senior Department of Education officials of having threatened the union's leadership with "as yet unseen and unknown measures" against teachers, if proposals aimed at ending the union's dispute with Government were rejected in the forthcoming ballot.
Mr Byrne said the threat was made directly to himself and to the union's General Secretary.
Members will be balloting on whether or not to continue its industrial disputes with the Government over a number of issues including equal pay for newer entrants to the profession and Junior Cycle reform.
Earlier, the union criticised the Government's use of emergency legislation against trade unions.
It said the use of FEMPI legislation was "profoundly disturbing" and would have long lasting negative consequences.
Mr Byrne said so long as this legislation existed the basic right of a trade union to negotiate freely on behalf of its members was being denied.
The alternative is to accept proposals arrived at at conciliation talks held late last year.
The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest legislation, known as FEMPI, was introduced to allow for public service pay and pension cuts, in the wake of the economic crash.
ASTI membership has risen by 4% or 800 members over the past year. In schools where membership is shared with TUI, ASTI numbers up slightly.
— emma o kelly (@emma_okelly) January 12, 2017
The union's membership has increased by more than 4%, or almost 800 members, in the past year.
The unions says this make ASTI membership higher than ever before.
General Secretary Kieran Christie said while some of the growth may be down to demographics there was also a view within the union that the actions they were taking were attracting members.
In so-called dual union schools, where membership is between the ASTI and the Teachers Union of Ireland, the ASTI has seen a very small increase in membership, of between 1% and 2%.
In a statement, the Department of Education said the Government is committed to an orderly unwinding of the FEMPI legislation.
It also said it respects "the democratic process of balloting that is now due to commence within the ASTI."
The union says there is a possibility of further industrial action in schools if members reject the latest offer. However it says it is mindful of students, their parents, and upcoming exams.
In the event of rejection it is unlikely that there will be any sudden withdrawal from supervision duties, with potential school closures as a result.
The union has told members that any future withdrawal should be "orderly". It has also sanctioned its school principals to work to put alternative supervision arrangements in place.
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