The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (Asti) has indicated that upcoming strike actions are unlikely to be cancelled. General secretary Linda Kelly stated that educators remain deeply frustrated with the government's recent budget allocations for public sector pay, which she described as inadequate. Despite the financial burden of losing a day's wages during a period of high living costs, union members are prepared to proceed with industrial action on 14 and 21 October. Kelly criticized the government for failing to engage in substantive pay negotiations, favoring productivity metrics instead. While the government has called for a return to talks and highlighted the €1.2 billion budget provision, unions maintain that these measures do not address their core concerns. This marks the first coordinated public sector industrial action since 2009, reflecting significant dissatisfaction among staff across various essential services.
Source : The Journal
Photo : The Journal
