SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS represented by the ASTI have announced the details of their industrial action, which is to begin on 2 October.

The union had voted to reject the Haddington Road Agreement and commence industrial action last Friday.

The move will see 17,000 ASTI members withdraw from meetings outside of normal school hours.

This will include school planning and policy development meetings, staff and parent teacher meetings, and in-service training for teachers, though union leadership has said the impact on students will be “minimal”.

Speaking after the meeting ASTI General Secretary Pat King said that while teachers are anxious not to disrupt their students’ education, ASTI members had voted by a two to one majority in favour of industrial action:

The loss of classroom teachers from schools , the withdrawal of guidance services, the axing of middle management posts, the tying up of teachers’ time and energy with extra administrative work – these are the actions that have disrupted and damaged the education of our young people in recent years.

King, who yesterday said that teachers had “had enough”, accused the government of “reneging” on the Croke Park Agree

“Despite the fact that vital resources have been stripped from schools, ASTI members signed up to and delivered more for less under the Croke Park Agreement only to find the Government reneging on its promises under the same Agreement,” said Mr King.

Read: ASTI chief: Teachers have had enough

Read: ASTI reject Haddington Road agreement, vote for industrial action