The General Secretary of the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI) has said that teachers must receive a "substantial pay rise" in the upcoming public sector pay talks.
Addressing delegates at the ASTI annual convention in Wexford, Kieran Christie said the Government has never moved on from the mindset of recession and austerity.
"They seem to have no comprehension of a need to incorporate into public sector agreements any measures that would tilt towards addressing the daily problems that workers face – be they housing, childcare, healthcare or any of the rest of our big issues," Mr Christie said.
The current public sector pay deal will expire at the end of June and negotiations on a successor agreement are due to begin in the coming weeks.
"Teachers must receive a substantial pay rise - no ifs, no buts, it must happen," Mr Christie said.
"A new deal will have to be a better deal. The narrative of the next deal must change," he added.
A range of local bargaining increases due under the current public sector agreement are still outstanding, something which Mr Christie described as "a disgrace".
"There should be no consideration of entering any new Public Sector Pay Agreement until the end line is in sight on local bargaining," he said.
ASTI members have previously voted in favour of taking industrial action in opposition to the accelerated implementation of the Senior Cycle Redevelopment Programme.
The union's General Secretary said today that the mandate to take industrial action, up to and including strike action, remains in place and available if negotiations fails to produce a satisfactory outcome.
Mr Christie said that increasingly, teachers are finding themselves targeted by online harassment, cyber-bullying and defamatory commentary.
"Responsibility cannot rest solely with teachers or schools," he told delegates.
"Technology companies and regulators must be held accountable. Strong enforcement of online safety laws, faster removal of harmful content and clearer legal protections are essential," he added.
Stress and sick leave
Teachers' concerns about stress, sick leave and IT resources are among the topics being debated at the second day of the ASTI convention.
One motion calls for the establishment of an independent and mandatory audit of stressors and psychosocial hazards in second-level schools.
Another resolution relates to changes to the rules for teachers returning to work from sick leave.
Students sitting the Leaving Cert in 2027 will submit project work known as Additional Assessment Components (AACs) worth at least 40% of their final grade in certain subjects.
A motion to be debated today calls for the pausing of the introduction of laboratory-based AAC projects on health and safety grounds.
A number of resolutions relate to increased funding to upgrade IT systems and provide devices to students for their AAC projects.
Yesterday, ASTI delegates voted on a range of motions relating to concerns about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by students to complete non-exam work in the redeveloped Leaving Cert.
Addressing delegates at the conference, Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton announced the establishment of an AI advisory taskforce for schools to examine the implications of AI for teaching, learning and assessment.
The taskforce will also inform the ongoing development of policy, guidance and supports in the area of AI in education.
Invitations for membership of the taskforce will issue this month, with the first meeting expected to take place in May.
Around 500 second-level teachers from across the country are gathering for the ASTI conference which runs until tomorrow.
Pay and conditions
Amid soaring fuel prices, concerns around pay and the cost-of-living are expected to feature prominently at this year's convention.
Talks on a new public sector pay deal are due to begin in the coming weeks and a number of motions relating to wages will be debated by delegates.
One of the resolutions states that the ASTI should escalate industrial action in September unless there is a 6% increase to all levels of pay scales.
Another motion states that the ASTI should demand wage increases to match cost of living increases.
