John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister has not given me a definitive position on how those teachers who are non-union members can go about exercising their rights. There is clearly a pathway for those in the TUI to identify themselves to the Department. The problem is that there is dual recognition of unions in the particular school. The assumption, therefore, is that non-union members are receiving the ASTI treatment in the sense that there is no procedure for them which is facilitated by the circular. That is the crux of the problem. Those teachers who are non-union members have worked the 33 hours and are doing everything their TUI colleagues are doing. The reason I chose this specific school is there are no ASTI members in it. Every teacher in the school is a member of the TUI, apart from a handful of individuals. They are not in dispute, but they have no method by which to advance their case. The Department's circular does not facilitate them in making a claim. They are prepared to do the work, but they are being discriminated against because of the default position taken in the circular. That is the crux of the problem. How will they represent themselves to the Department? How will they gain from the benefits TUI members have received, given that they are doing exactly the same work? I cannot see equality in the system. I acknowledge that from an industrial relations point of view, it is complex. However, I have not seen a clear opportunity for these individuals to advance their individual cases.

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