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ALL THREE TEACHERS’ unions have passed a motion calling for prioritisation in the vaccination programme and a ballot for industrial action, including strike, if the government does not meet their demands.
The three unions – the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO), Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) and Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) – had agreed to table a joint motion on the issue at their annual conferences, which began yesterday.
The motion condemns the recent changes to the priority listing for teachers within the national vaccination programme and demands the government re-instates education staff as a priority group within the national vaccination programme.
The motion also demands early vaccination within the overall cohort of education staff of pregnant teachers, those in higher risk categories and those who work in special schools, special classes and home school community liaison teachers.
If the government does not agree to prioritise teachers in the programme by the end of the current school year, the motion mandates a ballot of members for industrial action up to and including strike.
Following the passing of the motion, ASTI general secretary Kieran Christie said it is “simply not acceptable” for the government to tell teachers they are valued as essential workers and then “expect them to stand in line with those who have remote facilities available to them”.
“Second-level teachers spend their day in classes of up to 30 students, often in poorly ventilated buildings,” he said. “They mix with approximately 250 young people each day. Social distancing is challenging at best.”
INTO general secretary John Boyle said a parallel programme targeting priority workers should run in parallel with the age-based roll-out.
“Establishing a parallel programme – vaccinating the elderly and vulnerable alongside key workers –would protect our most at-risk members at the earliest opportunity followed in quick succession by those who are at slightly lesser risk,” he said.
The point that appears to have been lost on Government is that we simply want to ensure that they follow the science. The most up to date public health advice stated clearly that workers in crowded settings need to be prioritised. It’s common sense.
Michael Gillespie, general secretary of the TUI said there is particular concern for members who are pregnant or who are at risk because of an underlying health issue, as well as those working in special schools and special classes.
“Once again, it is important to state that a commitment was made to us – in correspondence from the department on 10 and 23 February – that teachers would be prioritised for vaccination as part of the first third of the adult population,” he said.
“We urge the department to do the right thing and to meaningfully engage with us on this issue.”
Speaking this morning at the TUI’s conference, Education Minister Norma Foley said she appreciated that the change in the vaccination schedule to an age-based roll-out had been “a cause of upset and disappointment” for many in the education sector.
“These past 12 months living in the shadow of Covid have not been easy for anyone,” she said.
“It has required considerable sacrifice and flexibility from all of us. We have had to adapt to new information, new evidence and circumstances as they present themselves.”
The minister said the decision was underpinned by evidence that age is the single strongest predictor of whether a person who contracts Covid-19 will be admitted to hospital, or ICU or die as a result.
I know that this change in direction is difficult for many in the education sector. I understand that.
“The vaccine programme has never been about valuing one group or profession over another,” she said.
“The guiding force behind it has always been to protect the most vulnerable in our society. Clear scientific evidence now tells us that older people, regardless of occupation, are more susceptible to the virus. If we truly wish to protect the most vulnerable, we must act proactively on the basis of this scientific evidence.”
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All the goodwill teachers got after parents across the country had to homeschool will be thrown away if they vote to strike over this.
@Ed: 100%. They are shooting themselves in the foot. School year is almost over anyway
@Ed: Em, I’d imagine people were doing their best with homeschooling for their children’s sake, not the teachers’?
@Patricia Ellis Dunne: What I mean was people had a new found respect for teachers when tasked with educating their own children.
@Neil Davey: All the more reason to strike now for time off and then try get the vaccines now so they canhit the beaches in Europe this summer :)
@Darren Norris: And hit them with fines for non essential travel
@Neil Davey: The leaving cert my dear boy. The leaving cert.
@Ed: well your comments just show how fleeting and fickle your “respect” and “good will” are, so meh!
@Patricia Ellis Dunne: Meh! The retort of someone with no argument. Thanks for trying.
@Ed: I mean meh as in your respect and goodwill are obviously not worth a lot if you can lose them so easily
@Patricia Ellis Dunne: They haven’t voted for it yet so my respect is still intact. The union’s on the other hand will never have my respect.
@Ed: The teachers I know will not be voting in favour of strike. They wanted the vaccination before the schools reopened. That didn’t happen and they’ve moved on, trying their best to stay safe.
@Ed: No, people have had to juggle both work and homeschooling, so parents have gained massive respect in my opinion.
@Seosamh: Nobody claimed otherwise Seosamh.
@Darren Norris: if a strike is voted for it will be in September given the time required for returning ballots etc.
@Ed: the union is it’s members. Teacher unions in particular are very responsive to their members.
@Ed: unions are a scurge on this country. Holding the people to ransom using their children’s education. These union leaders should be charged with treason
@Ed: I agree. If they want to make a true statement all front line workers need to strike at the same time yes I mean all who are working during level 5. Only then the Government will understand they mean business. Start off with 2 hour and increase daily until they cave.
@Ed: Shame on them. They have lost the peoples support.
@Neil Davey: They want to be fully vaccinated in time for their summer holidays.
@KSham: thank you
@Chris Mc: In the private sector you can negotiate your own pay and conditions directly with your employer. A union gives you a bit more power in that negotiation.
You can’t negotiate your own pay and conditions directly with your employer if they’re the government- they’ll just ignore you. A union is necessary for any power in the negotiation. That’s why unions are more popular in the public sector.
@Ed: very selfish behaviour
@Ed: Let’s be honest Ed, that goodwill will be long gone once summer holidays hit. I’ve pals who are teachers, and I’ve heard quite a few non-teacher parents/friends poke fun at all the extended holidays teachers get. It’s terrible, but people will always begrudge.
@Mickey Finn: I have worked in the car manufacturing industry for over 35 years and never once negotiated my own pay and conditions with my employer, neither did the tens of thousands of my colleagues, your spouting a load of tripe.
@Ed:
TDs won’t even sit in the Dáil, instead we pay 25000 per day for them to use the Convention Centre for social distancing.
Yet you want teachers to sit in a classroom full of schoolchildren?
Fair play to the unions. Homeschool your own kids. It’s a pandemic. Parents are pulling their hair out being around your *own* children.
@Dean: Shut the supermarkets so and see how long you last.
@Dean: I guess the parents should split the teachers salary between themselves too, if theres no need for a teacher, why are we paying them at all?
@Mickey Finn: unions are not allowed in most of the private sector. And if you tried to negotiate with your private sector employer in any way similar to this you would be out on your ear.
Teachers will get very little support from the general public here…and rightly so
@jay bernard: Teachers have never had the support of the general public. I’m really surprised you think that is a factor.
@jay bernard: I think the unions are a big problem here. I’m all for protecting workers rights and ensuring workers are protected. But the unions in this country are taking successive governments for a ride. Pay rises all over the place and striking over the littlest thing. The vaccine rollout is following the scientific recommendation… not the will of the union. At the time of initial plan the data was not there… now they have better data the plan is changed…. I don’t see the problem with changing approach when the data says it’s the best option.
@jay bernard: Teachers have never had support from the public so why bother trying? The public in this country don’t think education is that important.
@Mark H: unions only act in response to their members demands. They don’t act independently of them. Any industrial action only follows a ballot of the members and a motion at convention.
@Padraig Mac Aodha: they must have had some kind of respect seeing thousands of us give them our kids for hours every day!!!
@jay bernard: it’s cheaper than a babysitter. But don’t let that spoil the cribbing about teachers party..
@Brendan Greene: that is completely factually incorrect. The leadership of a union is elected, they engage with employers on issues they believe are important (and in accordance with their mandate), they decide if a vote is required and they make recommendations to the union body before votes are cast. No ballot has been put to the union bodies on this issue yet so the teachers have not given their input. Before everyone jumps up and down on teachers at least wait until votes are cast.
@Brendan Greene: that’s where you’re soo wrong
Anyone else sick of the teacher’s “bully boy tactics”?
@Neil Ryan: tired of them now at this stage
@Neil Ryan: acedemic year almost over. Plenty of time to get vaccine over summer. Anyways, they aren’t even the most at risk of infection in the classroom.
@Neil Ryan: they’re at it for years! Absolutely
@Neil Ryan: No. I completely understand that the unions are looking out for their members interests. If teachers are expected to continue educating our children in oversized classrooms they should be given the vaccine.
@Neil Ryan: I’m just sick and tired of the general public whinging and crying over everything……the blame for this lies solely at the government’s door. It’s about time the whole country directs their anger at dail eireann
@Dwayne Jordan: so should our frontline retail workers,over a year now on the shop floor with a lot of customers no interest in social distance
@Neil Ryan: One in partucular, and he is in charge of the whole country. Biggest bully of them all
@Bennasi84: I’m no fan of the current government but how can you blame them on something the Unions cooked up all by themselves?
@Christina Colling: did you ever think that the majority are happy to be back teaching? The majority will want to vote no to strike action- there is a global pandemic going on – some of us are glad to have jobs and will happily wait until its our turn. Don’t paint us all with the same brush.
@Neil Ryan: it’s not the teachers. It’s the unions
Teachers love a good strike
@Eoin Fitzgerald: they’re not a patch on taxi men
@Eoin Fitzgerald: Don’t let facts get in the way of a throw some mud comment like yours . I have been a primary teacher for 39 years and spent ONE day on strike back in 1990s. Most teachers I know would be against a strike. This is only a motion for agreement on industrial action up to and including a strike. It’s not a vote to strike. It will never come to pass. I care deeply about the kids I teach and but at 60 years of age I also have concerns about Covid transmission in an overcrowded classroom where social distancing is a pretence, no masks are worn and with inadequate ventilation. The Government have proven not to be trusted and constantly move the goalposts and are prepared to gamble with the health of teachers, particularly older ones to keep the schools open at all costs.
100% agree with you about safety measures in primary schools. It’s not that hard to spread out the students in the class to have them distancing. I know someone who is a teacher and I asked her has the classroom layout changed much since covid. She said it hasn’t changed 1 bit. No distancing, no masks, very little sanitisation. Only difference is she wears a mask sometimes. Looking at the news in other countries and younger kids are distancing in the classroom and wearing Masks. Covid transmission will happen very easily in those classrooms. Teachers particularly older teachers, deserve to be vaccinated for their own safety in primary schools particularly. Not all teachers agree with striking, but teachers have been known for going on strike when they don’t agree with what’s happening
@Eoin Fitzgerald: never seem to do so in the summer months
@Anthony Hilton: will he get the vaccine before next Monday, when (all of the issues raised above)
@Fergal Murphy: and teachers are prepared to gamble with the health of everyone else
@Anthony Hilton: Anthony thank you for doubting my intelligence and suggesting it’s time to retire in your rush to make a personal comment. With respect I think you have missed the main points of my post above. I corrected an inaccurate statement and expressed legitimate concerns I have. I also mentioned my opposition to a possible strike and at no time expressed a preference for my union’s position on vaccine roll out.
@Fergal Murphy: Are you not in line to get vaccinated as a 60 year old? The goalposts moved because they are following advice from the health experts. There are many areas who work in close proximity with colleagues, the food sector, etc.
@Fergal Murphy: While you might not have been involved, teachers strikes are a common occurance in the last 39 years, nearly an annual tradition at this stage
@Fergal Murphy: ironically at 60 you will probably get vaccinated much quicker if we stick to the government age based plan.
@Fergal Murphy:you say”It will never come to pass”
How would you respond if pupils threatened teachers and later said it will never come to pass?
@James Lyons: when was there ever a taxi strike?
@Eoin Fitzgerald: no they don’t. They don’t get paid.
@Eoin Fitzgerald: secondary school kids are pulling the masks off at the drop of a hat, wearing them under their noses, spitting in the corridors, coughing at staff. Public haven’t a clue but plenty to say.
Sorry but this is just plain wrong. There are cancer patients/carers and many others that need the vaccine first. The gardai are more front line.I dont support this and i doubt they will get a lot of support in general
The girl standing at the till in your local Mace is more of a front line worker. Put the teachers on PUP. Soon sort them out.
@Brian Renaghan: if striking unpaid not pup.
@Brian Renaghan: the girl standing at the till is behind glass, at a distance, meeting people for a very short time with masks on customers.
Teachers /SNAs are in a small room with 30+ for 6 hours. SNAs move to other rooms so could be 100s. Primary Sen children don’t wear masks. There is no distancing. There is lots of direct contact including intimate care. Críche workers would be much more similar and should also be prioritized
@Patricia Ellis Dunne: Primary and SEN children
@Brian Renaghan: Retail workers come in more contact with far more people, and a lot less control over the conditions, in a day than teachers do in a month
@John Michalski: nonsense. And retail workers have very brief interactions with the public which reduces risk compared to standing in front of a group of kids for an hour or more. But if that is the argument then I’d be happy for retail workers to be prioritised as well.
@Patricia Ellis Dunne: those packing shelves and fridges have no screen , just a lot of people with no clue of social distance ,my son’s partner has already done 2 weeks isolation from an unknown social contact in work
@Sarah Lou: Wish that was the case but they do in fact get Strike pay, luckily its only for a maximum of a few weeks, I have a feeling teachers are just looking to cash this in while watching Netflix for the last few months of the curriculum, they dont give a rats what happens to the kids educations, always next year sure….
@Adam J: What a load of balony. Much prefer being in the classroom. But that doesn’t suit your thinking.
@Caroline Redmond: anyone defending this move needs to reevaluate their own thinking. What is needed from the teachers unions is creativity of how to make the most of this situation for the whole school environment going forward, such as, calling for reduced class sizes, more supports in each school to achieve smaller class sizes going forward, better ventilation etc. Not strike. In the whole situation the teachers have been facilitated and accommodated and are one of the only groups that have been accommodated throughout. I’m sure alot of nurses would have loved to work remotely when the hospitals were full and the covid patient numbers high but it was not a possibility. 25% of the country out of work and not one striking. The teachers on full pay for the duration, not in person or with any set standard required of them for the remote teaching, a pay rise in October and they are voting to strike despite the fact the older and vulnerable members will get the vaccine and the rest will get it in time…. By end of June being the current target. I think this is the final nail in the coffin for any public support.
@Adam J: There is a mechanism for unions paying strike pay to their members from subscriptions for drawn out strikes. However I’ve been teaching 20 years and never got any pay for a strike day. Don’t think this ballot will pass by the way. Looks like posturing on behalf of the unions, as realistically it would be mid May by the time ballots went to membership and votes counted up. Setting themselves up for another PR disaster as school holidays are soon coming up. The leadership of these unions need to get real.
@Longlin: sorry what, behind a screen. So those people on self service, stacking shelves… Dealing with no masks on some…. 100s if not 1000s passing by them daily don’t deserve the vaccine more than pampered well paid teachers who sat most of this out at home. Omg wow get real spend a day in Tesco
I’m a teacher and think the unions are making a mockery of this whole thing. They are not representative of all teachers I know. Just wish they would stop at this stage.
@Caroline Redmond: you pay your subs. You pay their wages. If you and the teachers you know are representative, then you should be on to your school union rep, and if you all were, and were in fact representative, then this wouldn’t be happening.
Teachers as a whole are silent and sitting back and letting this happen.
Don’t blame the unions when you’re the ones enabling them.
@Caroline Redmond: then the vote for industrial action won’t be carried so it’ll all be grand.
@Caroline Redmond: same here , I haven’t a notion of voting for strike. Unions are a joke!
@Nicola Long: Regardless of whether the vote is passed, this action will sow a tremendous amount of negative sentiment towards teachers unions and unfortunately teachers, as a result. Its damaging.
@Pedro: Agreed, Teachers need to leave these greedy unions en masse to get the point home that they do not make these kind of calls without the full backing of teachers
@Johnny: People pay their subs because it has been instilled on us that we have too in case anything goes wrong. It’s almost like an insurance policy. Either way, that does not mean that we are not happy with the way the unions have been using bullying tactics to get what they want. In an ideal world, everyone working with crowds of people would be vaccinated. Im all for the unions fighting for our rights, but bullying tactics like threatening strikes, I don’t like and will never vote for.
@Siobhan Feehan: Unless you need one to represent you…
@Caroline Redmond: when the votes are in we will see a true reflection of how the teachers feel on the matter.
Are they serious? The key indicator for disease severity is age. Why would a 30 year old teacher even want a vaccine ahead of a 55 or 60 year old?! They’ll all be on holidays in a few weeks anyway
@David Kelly: why would a 50 year old working from home want a vaccine ahead of somebody in a public facing role? Their risk of catching covid is tiny in comparison.
Teachers should be vaccinated, as should guards, shop workers and anybody else without the option to work from home. Let’s prioritise hospitality staff and those on PUP as well. It’s not just about teachers (except for the unions, but why would they talk about anybody other than teachers?), it’s the idea that vaccinating those with the facility to protect themselves because they don’t need to interact with anybody, ahead of others that cant doesn’t make any sense. Our rollout isn’t being stalled by anything other than supply at the moment, so the speed argument doesn’t wash.
@Jakim Berndsen: great post. But probably won’t cut through the sensationalist teacher hating nonsense on here.
@David Kelly: the argument isn’t about catching covid, it’s about protecting those that are most susceptible to severe covid and death in the first instance.
@Jakim Berndsen: because they have to go buy food and interact with people even if they are working from home
@ed w: Buying food is a relatively controlled environment. Supermarkets are meant to be distanced, and the only person you should be interacting with is the person on the till. This does not compare to shopkeepers, who will have hundreds of these interactions per day, or teachers, who may be in close, non-distanced proximity with 100s of students and tens of colleagues. Public facing roles have a far larger infection risk.
The big cry is to open the pubs/restaurants. The majority of people working in this environment are young – why on earth would they want to risk long term illness without a vaccine? Of course we should be vaccinating these people. If we hit a point where this slows down the rollout, then going purely aged based begins to make sense. By the time we’re swimming in vaccines, the way things are going, you would imagine that most of the public facing rolls are nearly vaccinated anyway.
Let’s not forget that if the shopkeeper is vaccinated, the chances of catching covid for the work-from-home, twice-a-week shop goer drop to a fraction of their already very low levels.
They will get zero public support
@bmul: So the same as they’ve always had then. I love the way you think public support is even a factor here. Awe bless.
@Padraig Mac Aodha: it is in any successful industrial action in the public sector.
@Padraig Mac Aodha: the really important thing here is that you and your colleagues don’t jump the queue, Paddy. The rest is just fluff.
@bmul: no, it isn’t. I’m a retired teacher and was in quite a few industrial actions over the years which were all more or less successful. None of them had public support.
Unions are a disgrace. This is not representing the general teacher on the ground. This is coming from a teacher.
@t: We’ll see when the results of the ballot are in. I hope it’s just sabre rattling before the unions vote in their new executives for the year (look how well we’re fighting for you) but if they vote to strike then leave them out for a prolonged period of time and damage the unions financially.
@t: But you’ll still pay your subs right? If unions didn’t represent the general teacher on the ground, then they would do an immediate u-turn as teachers made their voices heard to their union reps.
I bet you haven’t. I bet the teacher on the ground hasn’t. They sit back and do nothing and say that the union doesn’t represent them. It takes 2 minutes to send an email to your union rep.
@Johnny: you’re actually wrong there. I’m an active union member in my branch. I have regularly brought issues and raised issues with My rep via email and at branch meetings. Its not as simple as saying to stop paying your subs, you could well need your union on other issues and topics
@t: Would love to know what the Union would help you with that EU employment law doesnt already cover
@Adam J: workplace issues which they resolve on your behalf while up holding a degree of anonymity. I’m saying they have poorly represented all teachers here and on often previous occasions but they also have merit is all.
Teachers live on another planet.
Trying to put themselves ahead of bus drivers, shop workers, gardai, etc etc, not to mention older people who are FAR more likely to require hospitalisation or die from getting covid.
Why are teachers anti-science? Anti-logic? Anti-fact.
An age-based approach is widely considered as the best and quickest approach, according to multiple countires, scientific, and public health groups.
Why do teachers think they know better?
Why are they holding the government, and by extension everyone else, to ransom?
Disgraceful.
@Munsterman: If ‘Get ta F’ wasn’t a political phrase used previously it should be now!
This is why I left the Unions.
Lost for words. The entire population of Ireland v Teachers. The unions should be ashamed, literally making the people dislike the very people who pay them. Imagine threatening to down tools and strike if your not prioritised for a vaccine, and the entitlement to go ahead of way more vulnerable people because I’m a teacher.
The teachers once again holding the country to ransom. Keep the schools shut I’d say, they get their 3 month holiday soon
@Sam Murray: Jumping the gun there, Sam. They have yet to arrange and hold a ballot and only if the outcome of that of that ballot is in favour of industrial action is there even a slight chance of a strike occurring.
We’ve seen that the age based system clearly works, the UK is down from 1,000+ deaths per day to ~20. It was a mistake to even try the occupation based rollout but yet again we are seeing the teaching unions throw their toys out of the pram. Effectively they are seeking to deny older and more vulnerable people a vaccine so that their entire membership is vaccinated which is disgusting and an absolute disgrace. The teaching unions have run amok in this country for far too long now and enough is enough.
How are essential retail workers not more of a priority for vaccine than teachers??
@Mark Kean: because they aren’t exposed to anyone for same duration? They work behind Perspex screens and wear masks. Primary students wear no masks and there can be up to 33 students, a teacher and an SNA in a portacabin room designed for 24 students.
@Mark Kean: Absolutely.
@Jonathan Regan: if you dont like it get a new job.
@Jonathan Regan: So do the staff who pack the shelves in Tesco walk around in pope mobile like boxes all day?No they don’t, and in fact they probably come across more people throughout their shift than a teacher would. All this plays into governments hands, deflects from them.
@Jonathan Regan: Retail are exposed in many cases to a far greater number of people, increasing the chances of coming into contact with an infected person on a given day.
@Mark Kean: If you don’t understand why, you’ve been living under a rock. You saying nothing will help your side more effectively.
@Thomas O’ Donnell: No they’re not!
@Keith Dempsey: Teachers are not against retail workers getting vaccinated.
@Jonathan Regan: Due to redundancy in my career, I filled a gap and took on a part-time work in retail. Its a small shop with high footfall. Depending on the day, I may be within close contact with 6-700 people. Some don’t wear masks. Some abuse you when you ask them to put one on. There has even been a case where a customer deliberately coughed on on staff member after being approached. Of the 13 staff, 3 have got covid. I think your assumption of risk in retail work needs adjustment. With all that said, would I take a prioritisation over someone my father’s age? Absolutely not.
@Nick O Donnell: who said they were? We all have to wait in line and can’t hold the country to ransom over it.
@Nick O Donnell: and let’s be clear here..I don’t imagine many teachers actually want to back this..it’s the unions being unions. If they don’t speak for you as a group don’t pay the subs.
Comment of the year goes to TUI Vice President Liz Farrell who says age based roll-out ‘isn’t about science, it is about what is easiest’…….
Liz is no different to the basket case protestors taking to the streets with her ‘expert opinion’. I would imagine there are a lot of embarrassed teachers today…should be
@Enda Flaherty: once again professional bodies are getting blamed for this omnishambles of a vaccine roll out. If you want to be angry with any group, be angry with the DoH. It’s their top brass officials making these decisions when they gave in to the ‘key-worker’ pressure. If you’re angry, be angry with that department. They’ve a lot to answer for having no emergency pandemic strategy in place even before the COVID. WHO have been telling governments for years that a pandemic will happen eventually and to prepare for one. No government did, globally, and this is the fruits of their lack of foresight. Countries who have good strategies aren’t being oppressed as much as others and that’s because of good leadership.
@Enda Flaherty: When the missus and I were teachers (INTO and ASTI) we uesd to look down our noses at the TUI teachers who sometimes didn’t even have a Leaving Cert. Hence the blatherings of the likes of Liz Farrell wouldn’t have impinged on our day. Happier times!
@Rb1kan: no idea what you are talking about….. I gave up being angry at anything about covid months ago….simply asking why a trade union official thinks she knows better then health experts to make a comment like it is not about the science. For a teacher to say it is not about the science when the science on this is clear is just bizarre. I agree that the original decision to have cohorts was wrong as evidenced by the shambles in cohort 2 and health workers where people abused the system…..
More time off
Given the majority of negative reponses from both teachers & the general public when this was indicated yesterday, a change.org petition should be created asking for the heads of these Unions to step aside.
No teachers will vote for this.
This bunch of entitled government employees needs to know that they are employees. They think they are better than refuse workers, shopkeepers, postmen and women who all have worked throughout this pandemic. This government or any government need to stand up to them and make them realise that they are employees and should not be dictating government policy. If the government can’t the public should stand up to them.
@Brian Shea: You are not making a fair comparison….
@Dwayne Jordan: All employees should be the same they are not special. I should compare working day, annual leave, pay bonuses for doing things teachers should be doing anyway like marking their students exams and supervising said exams. Half days every time the kids get time off. And of course the hard work that was put in for the online teaching. Let’s compare !!!!
@Brian Shea: with Dwayne here. If you had two rectum5, you’d be in stereo..
@Brian Shea: What a st***d statement. You couldn’t even understand my previous comment.
@Brian Shea: What a st***d statement. You didn’t even understand my previous comment.
Skinner says the teachers will crack any minute purple monkey dishwasher..
On the upside, it will be a sort of lockdown, should help keep numbers down! Government should just vaccinate them, they’ve pretty much stabbed them in the back here…
I’m a teacher and this is NOT what I want at all. I’m absolutely mortified. I think the only profession after healthcare workers should be the guards and then do age groups. Most teachers are actually going to get vaccinated earlier now as a result of this new scheme. I’m in my 20s and do not need to be vaccinated before my mother just because I’m a teacher! We have 7 weeks before we get our holidays- absolutely no need for this.
@Gráinne Power: If you and other teachers feel that strongly about it why don’t you all leave the union and demand that the union subs are no longer taken out of your salary. You have to do something like this to convince the public that it is the unions rather than teachers. You pay the union reps to represent you and then claim they don’t represent the views of most teachers, so sack them. Anything less and you have no credibility.
@Gráinne Power: fair play. My mum in her 60s working in Tesco should get priority over you and I applaud you for this and hope all teachers realise the age thing only way to go now.
@Suzi Sue Kelly: She 100% should! I hope she gets it soon so you’ll have some peace of mind
Sure there only looking for it to go on holidays by the time they are full vacinated it’ll be the beginning of the summer holidays at the earliest and thats if they all get vacinated today.
Toxic Unions they never have anythinggood to say. What happens to a teacher who does not want the vaccine? Are they sacked or only able to work from home? Can they still use school facilities? Have the media asked these questions? Whats the Unions view on this?
Shocking decision by the teachers they are going to lose more people over this. The people of this country are told to follow the science by NPHET & the Government again & again but teachers & their unions are exempt from this unreal
School year nearly over !
If they get vaccinated they be able to go on holidays.
That why they want it .
Let them go on strike over the summer term .
Most definitely let them strike.Hopefully it will continue through the summer holidays and it should put manners on a group with protected employment threatening strike at a whim.Strike pay won’t go too far.Be careful what you wish for.Don’t they realise the world has changed for ever.
Absolute disgrace that they can make the pandemic all about themselves because they know they have us all over a barrell and will get away with it. Disgust!ng.
Every one on the band wagon again. NOT a teacher but don’t want to have my children back at home being home schooled. No reports in the media about national schools being closed due to out breaks yet its happening across the country. People are just so short sighted
@C.ÓFathaigh: the only person short-sighted is you. Teachers wouldn’t be vaccinated until into the holidays for 2nd level, and nearly into holidays for primary level.
This is ONLY about sticking it to the government, and having being vaccinated for the possibility of doing things during the summer holidays, if some stuff has opened up.
Don’t kid yourself that this has ANYTHING to do with teacher safety, as the timelines show that is nonsense.
There is an argument to support many professions in getting vaccinated first. I am so angry that the teachers’ unions feel they are more important than the gardaí, prison staff, supermarket staff etc. etc. All of whom have had to physically go to work all through the pandemic.
@Eleanor Jordan O’Farrell: Gardai can’t strike and neither can prison officers if I’m not mistaken. Talk to any guard and they’ll tell you how happy they are about all of this..
Let them strike, then lock them out and close the schools until september, think of the savings ….no wages to pay . I’m sure by then they will all be delighted to be back to work and getting paid.
Disgraceful. The school year is nearly at an end. They were safe at home for large parts of it. Now they’re threatening strikes (again!) to queue skip. As a carer for my toddler with additional needs I am not being prioritised so it aggravates me that they’re holding the threat of industrial action over the government to get their way.
@Bananaquit: its because a lot of them are in a room with 30 superspreaders that are not wearing masks. They were pushed down the queue because of the new vaccine order. Thats why its a problem
@Nicole Leeson McCarthy: what about the 16 months retail staff have had to cope with 100s if not 1000s passing them. Being abused by those who won’t wear masks… As a 30 Yr old retail worker I’m looking at the end of 2021…. Vaccine order? Teachers need to roll with this and go by age… End of. They didn’t have to once worry about not paying their mortgages this year. My 30 Yr old friend was off 4 weeks after catching covid her job would only pay mandatory sick days, had claim sick benefit for 2 weeks.. Not a patch on her wages… And she works in a chemist. Teachers have had it easy.
Teachers showing true colours now.
Selfish lot
By the time they ballot all members and issues strike action they will be on holidays and they will all have been vaccinated by September new school year.
Why do teachers think they are more important than any one else in the country. Everyone deserves to get vaccinated doesn’t matter what job you do . Or who u are . I agree the government has got the program for rolling out the vaccine wrong . It’s the summer holidays in a cupple of weeks the students have lost a year due to COVID
A great bunch of lads the teachers unions.
Blood boiling. Feckin precious teachers.
Teachers promised to be vaccinated after elderly and HCW. Gov back track, unions representing teachers react, society vilifies teachers. Teachers more exposed to risk than anyone working from home and even in supermarkets/retail etc considering volumes of interactions in poorly ventilated areas where literally no extra protections have been put in place.
@Jonathan Regan: Teachers originally threatened strike unless they were prioritised. We’re now 6 weeks away from the summer break – a vaccine rollout to teachers now will have little mpact on this school year. I’d also love to know why you think a 30-something year old teacher is more at risk than a 50-something year old working in retail.
@Jonathan Regan: WRONG WRONG WRONG.
They were not promised to be vaccinated after elderly and HCW. For a start, there were multiple other groups after those, and before education workers. Secondly the vaccination rollout schedule groups were always marked as PROVISIONAL and subject to change based on further consultation and new data. This was clearly highlighted. Teachers were NEVER promised vaccines.
Teachers are exposed to children, who rarely transmit to adults. That is a fact, multiple international studies have said so. No extra protections are in place? Can teachers not wear masks? Shop workers have similar levels of ventilation, often lower as supermarkets rarely have windows, whereas most classrooms do.
But that’s all irrelevant, it’s based on AGE. Science shows that those who are older are more at risk of hospitalisation and dying. Teachers think they know better than scientists and health experts. Teachers want to jump the queue, which puts older people back in the queue, and means more hospitalisation and death, because teachers think they know better than everyone else, and want special treatment.
@Jonathan Regan: sorry so wrong. So so so wrong. Retail workers over teachers 100%
100s if not 1000s daily in your space, huge volumes refusing to wear masks, abuse and overcrowding daily.
Have prob sent 8 wks in total in classrooms over the past 16 months… Mostly working remotely.
And trust me a teacher off sick won’t have to claim social welfare.
Shocking stuff so basically a teacher in their 20s 30s or 40s is saying they should be get the vaccination before their older parents or grandparents!the most efficient and safest way to go is by age and they are not happy and we know they work in classroom but shopworkers hav hundreds if not thousands of people go by them every day so do we do them aswell ahead of age
Let them strike away and stop salaries immediately. These must be the most belligerent, whining bunch of muppets in the country.
Fair play to them, if they want the government and parents to be the babysitters and educators of kids, while we are all expected to have a bout of amnesia around the fact schools are meant to be covid free according to NPHET, Norma and Donnelly and since parents can’t hack homeschooling and whined like their lives were over for month’s, then teachers are right to demand vaccines along with gardai…..id rather see them get vaccines than hear or read another stomach churning story around a private hospital or the hse giving friends, family, kids teachers and work from home staff vaccines while those that needed them were left high and dry
@Tarraing Mo Liathróidí: “while those that needed them were left high and dry”. It was patients in the said hospital that were left high and dry while teachers took the vacine. No shame.
@Tarraing Mo Liathróidí: “Parents can’t hack homeschooling”… lol. Tell me, while all these Parents were struggling to home school, what were the teachers, who’s pay was never was affected, doing? Furthermore, do you believe a prioritising teachers now will have any meaningful impact on what’s left in this school year?
@Pedro: My friends, whom are parents not teachers, tell me they were sending work, correcting said work, creating teaching plans, doing zoom calls with their class and contacting parents with children who need extra resources by phone almost daily. Oh and home schooling their own children! I know primary children who have had 4 hrs per day live teaching online too.
@Eileen Murph: My comment was not suggesting that teachers weren’t doing anything, I have plenty of teachers friends also, but rather highlighting that the original comment put such emphasis on parents complaining about homeschooling. If parents had to do a high amount of homeschooling, the teachers in those situations were not doing their job.
@Pedro: your comment suggested exactly that.
@Eileen Murph: I don’t know any primary children who had 4 hours live per day. If you did a survey the average would be 1 hour live per week.
Ahh sure they’d have to show solidarity with the good auld boys of St Gerards now wouldn’t they….if they are going to be vaccinated along with the rest of us whats the problem ? Doing teachers before the rest of us won’t get us to herd immunity any quicker…..
Full of their own self importance. Its science!
@vanc: you didn’t pay much attention in school, did you?
Who’s running the country: The government or the unions?
@Sandra Anderson: Denis O’Brien and Michael Smurfit. Thought that was common knowledge?
@Sandra Anderson: unions are there to protect workers when the government inevitably fails to do so.
@Nicole Leeson McCarthy: And the Government is there to protect the taxpayers – a group of people who teachers regularly treat with contempt. (Yes, I know that teachers are taxpayers too!)
@Terry Larkin: Government protecting taxpayer ar ya joking !!!
Good on them. I’m 100% behind them.
@Nicola Long: Why??
Peoples’ hatred of teachers is baffling. School staff need to be prioritized because unlike eg retail workers primary teachers are in small rooms with 30+ unmasked people for 6 hours, effectively contacts with 30+ households. They cannot do their job while distancing. SNAs are similar plus they move from room to room so even more contact, they sit with children without masks, attend to intimate care, hold hands, hug, get sneezed, coughed and sometimes spat on. Is that enough? The UN has repeatedly called for teachers to be vaccinated quickly
@Patricia Ellis Dunne: can the teachers not wear a mask to protect themselves like retail workers have to do. And unlike teachers retail workers have 100s of potential covid carriers passing through their stores every day. Teachers are limited to the number of children they come into contact with. No matter what way the vaccines are given out not everyone is gong to be happy. I’m at the bottom of the pile so I have to look after myself until I receive it. That’s just the way it goes in a pandemic unfortunately.
@Patricia Ellis Dunne: Complete bull, of course measures can be put in limit the risks for teachers but thats not what they are discussing, I’ve seen plenty of solutions in other countries where each desk has a plastic screen, students are forced to wear masks or be sent home, retail workers work in shops that can be as small as a classroom (and smaller) but they could get 300-500 different people a day in there, how do you trace that?
@Adam J: those 300 to 500 people are only in and out in a few minutes. Teachers spend about 6 hours a day with out precious progeny. Reason enough I reckon. Ever seen an SNA manage to fulfil their duties while socially distancing? Me neither.
@Fiona Ryan: masks protect others not the person wearing it. Kids dont have to wear masks, they are superspreaders and in shops it is very very easy to social distance and have perspex. You cant do that in a classroom of young children.
Give them the option of the vaccine or the 350 covid payment for the summer holidays like everyone else.
@Dave Lanigan: I’m pretty sure they’d choose the vaccine!
This suits FFG perfectly. They know that schools aren’t safe.
Now they can blame teachers for closed schools and don’t have to be responsible for rocketing case numbers if they did open.
They’ve had a year off.
@Rob Foley: they have been working from home. They haven’t been off. Most teachers are working overtime now tbh
The summer holidays are coming up! Just wait and you’ll be vaccinated then
This is the last chance I give to teachers to stand up to their unions. We repeatedly hear that it’s just a militant few, “I’m embarrassed by the union leaders”, they don’t represent how I feel, they are out of touch with the members etc….
If this is genuinely the case vote this BS down.
Let’s see how or even if the majority vote.
Failure to vote on this is essentially a vote in favour of industrial action as we all know the most militant alway vote.
@Ah Hold On Now: don’t know if anyone had noticed but every easter break the teachers unions hold their congress. This year it happened to fall almost in line with the announcement of the roll back of govt promise to vaccinate the teachers. You could almost assume this was strategic. What cock up are we being distracted from in Leinster house is what I’d like to know.
3 boards of the unions decided to strike. No teachers were asked or given a vote. Most teachers would rather be in the classroom but the fat cats of the unions decide otherwise.
If I was a teacher and I was considering going out to strike because I’m not getting the vaccine ahead of others, I would want to be a very very brave one. Especially the way the public mood is today. You teachers out there, you need to cop on to yourself’s. The general public are not supporting you! Your no better than the rest of us. How the public view you, has now dropped to an all time low. Get in the queue like the rest of the public are, and wait your turn. How dare you think your better then the rest of us.
All teachers, Childcare, hospital staff and Guards should be vacanated first there the people’s who look after the country….
@Bren Dunne: what about all the retail staff who still worked while everyone else was at home in the heigth of it??
@Paul Griffith: the retail staff clearly don’t matter. I would give anything to see everyone in retail announce their intention strike tomorrow.
More shame on them . I am a creche worker who has been working since 29th June last year. I would willing wait for my vaccine so all people with illness and The Guards and shop workers can get theirs. These people have kept the country open . And all teachers do is moan that they are not safe !!! . I have been spat on , sneezed on and pawed with snotty hands over the last 12 months .
@Sinead Keighron: As someone who has a little one in Creche I can only thank you guys for the work you do, you cant tell 1-3 year olds to social distance from each other or you workers, very difficult work id say
Up the teachers!
Shop workers are in contact with many more individuals on a daily basis than teachers and we don’t hear them threatening strike.
Let them strike in July/Aug
@Aidan Doyle: well I don’t believe the majority have the balls to stand up to the unions and the militant part of the membership. They will choose not to vote which is an even bigger disgrace than voting in favour of industrial action
Why are they doing this? The schools are open because as far as I know low transmission of covid in schools,isn’t this why the government opened the schools. The over 70s are not even completed yet.
Why dont they ballot to make masks mandatory like in Spain, massive drop in cases and wait for the vaccine like the rest of the nation….summer coming anyway for them
I fully support industrial action… if they do it during the summer.
There are a finite number of vacancies available. Perhaps we should let the teachers decide who in the over sixties group and 70 times more likely to die if the contract Covid should be denied the vaccine to facilitate themselves.
The teachers’ unions days are numbered. Time for teachers to call them out on it and start withdrawing from ASTI, TUI, INTO. They are just sullying the name of a lot of good teachers, desperately trying to remain relevant. Let’s face it, a teachers’ conference wouldn’t be a teachers’ conference without a ballot on something. Teachers need to hand in their membership cards and stop paying fees to these champagne socialists.
The only reason the teachers want early vaccination is so they will be able to avail of cheap flights to sun destinations at the middle of June!
Newsflash: They still wouldn’t be vaccinated until after Cohort 7 anyway which will be into June anyway or later the way things are going & they’ll either be on or almost on their Summer holidays with no contact with kids so I don’t know what they’re threatening a ballot for industrial action for!
Why bully your way to priority list.
Makes other vulnerable people even more vulnerable as teachers see their rights to be superior to the rights of others.
Should be prioratised, ok now you’ve made a statement, back it up by telling us who should lose out to facilitate this. Because somebody will be downgraded Who on the list do you think you are more deserving than? Schools/pods can be closed/shut down depending on circumstances. There are various services that cannot be shut. So who do the teachers think they are more important than?
I knew something was up when all the kids (in my house anyway) were told to bring everything home with them for the Easter Holidays.
You could see them kicking up from a distance.
They will get no sympathy.
@Xylophobiac: all schools did this as far as I know
Its a disgraceful move by the unions I dont believe the teachers in the schools will support this move
It’s amazes me how the teachers unions don’t see the bigger picture. Vaccinating by age is the fairest and most efficient way. It will protect the older cohorts of all professions including teachers, SNAs and guards as they will be vaccinated earlier and more importantly it will allow our society to open up faster than it would if any particular occupational group is prioritised.
I must tell the teachers if they go on the strike the general public will not support them.We need everyone to help each other out of this pandemic and hopefully the country will be back to normal by summer 2022.
@Fran Proins: surely by today you would have moved to October 2022!
@Fran Proins: your like a bad smell hard to get rid off
Let them strike with no pay see how long that lasts there’s no public backing for them on this one who do they think they are absolutely disgraceful carry on from teachers and there unions bully boy tactics
The union leaders are not reading the room, this attitude of “give me what I want or I will throw all my toys out of my pram” will not fly with people who have sacrificed so much in the past year.
This is not a good look for the 3 teacher unions.
teachers strike. well I never
Who the hell do teacher’s think they are. Jumping the Q. They won’t get any support from the general public. The government are right to issue the vaccine on age. This is the way it was done in the uk also. Any respect people had for teacher’s will go out the window if they strike over this.
I’m a teacher and this is a bad, bad idea. Any colleague I’ve spoken to agrees with me. Age based rollout seems fairest and quickest way.
If they go on strike, there’s no reason to vaccinate. If its done by age, they’ll get it faster. This is just unionised queue jumping.
Oh piss right off.
I am all for our teachers getting the tools to do the job. There are a lot of great teachers, of that there is no doubt. The leadership of teaching unions have lost the plot a long time ago. For them, it is not about fairness or science or what is right for the pupils and teachers. It is about the political game that union leaders play “What will make me look good and shine in my circle”. Attention seeking! That is what it is. This attitude has been demonstrated for years to various degree’s. Every proposal is shot down in flames. When restructuring the Junior Cert was proposed the unions went into convulsions to resist, the same with the Leaving Cert and it is the same with all other education issues. The public noticed but was pragmatic, balancing the unions demands with the needs of our children.
Along comes, Covid19 and schools were shut for Health and Safety reasons. No problem. When it came time to talk about easing restrictions and reopening the unions were out of the blocks complaining and resisting nearly every sensible pragmatic proposals ad nauseam. Of course, they have to think about their members, but resisting everything. Proposals, like spreading out classes over the week and splitting classes in half for social distancing and allowing half the pupils attend on alternate days, were dismissed. Then of course there were the children with special needs.
Teachers were classed as frontline workers but teaching unions ensured the absence of the profession from the frontline. I did not hear one positive pragmatic proposal put forward by the unions. The public see right through the unions use of holding parents and pupils to ransom, using restrictive working practices and lack of cooperation and resistance to working out solutions under the guise of H&S. Result, teachers have been unable to carry out their work because of negative union interference. Teachers are not to blame, the unions are.
On the vaccination issue, the unions should also be pragmatic especially as the school year winds down. But, no they are about to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
The new vaccination plan is scientific, simple and fair. No reasonable person could object to that. Older teachers, Garda and other workers will be vaccinated according to their age and serious risk of illness.
Of course, the union can make their case with scientific evidence by demonstrating the urgent need to vaccinate all teachers because of the large numbers of teachers who have succumbed to Covid 19 from working in schools and were hospitalised or ended up in ICUs or unfortunately passed away. Let the teaching unions produce those figures make the case for the absolute necessity and it can be reassessed. Otherwise, the tactic is seen for what it is, just another cynical exercise in the assumed self-importance and entitlement the leadership of the teaching unions seem to have. Zoom on electronic devices is not a transmission pathway for Covid19 so I doubt that the unions can make the case above.
@Stephen Gill: how right are you? These officials are in my opinion completely psychotic.. They need to be voted out
Well the headline says it all.
If their demands are not met.
Mabe they could learn something from the elderly and vulnerable people that their predecessor’s taught. Someday they will be retired and elderly themselves some may have medical conditions . see what it like when the shoe is on the other foot Lesson learned.
If the government and parents want the schools open full time then they should vaccinate teachers and all other school workers who will therefore be at a higher risk. Its common sense ffs. If I was a teacher at risk then I would be refusing to go in to work. Why put themselves at risk when there’s no need? They could get them done really quickly if they wanted to.
One word – disgraceful
If teachers were on the Titanic they would be off in the lifeboats and stuff everybody else…….
Teachers misreading the mood of the public / taxpayers, not for the first time..
Union leaders need to be taught a lesson here.. common sense doesn’t not trump militancy !!
Absolutely disgraceful. What a precious bunch.
Take away half their wages and give it to nurses or shop workers. Its not as if teaching is a hard job. Shop workers are more frontline. Teacher meets 30 kids a day. Shopworker meets maybe 500 to 1000 depending on the shop.
@Davidjor: Ever taught a day in your life? Please do before you start saying it’s not a hard job.
There’s not a teacher in the country that deserves the vile hate directed at them on this app and on this thread . Shameful.
2016 article on Teacher Union pay. You pay them these salaries and claim they don’t represent your views. If that’s the case you’re not the brightest group. Sack them.
The general secretary of the Association of Secondary Teachers’ Ireland, Kieran Christie, who was appointed last January, earns a salary of €134,990.It is fixed at “2.1846 times the last point of the teacher’s salary scale plus a pass degree and H.dip allowance” said ASTI. Salaries and pension of its executive staff totalled €948,927 while head office staff share in €640,255 — though no details are given as to how many are employed. And the travel expenses of the executive staff cost the union €58,200 while former general secretary Pat King had a motor bill of €4,494. The ASTI also spend €31,923 on recruiting its general secretary.And expenses in relation to the union president totalled €105,392 and included a €45,228 salary supplement, €12,542 additional allowance and €1,372 on motor expenses.
The INTO’s general secretary, Sheila Nunan, is on a salary of €144,225 — linked to the grade of Assistant Secretary in the civil service. And the deputy general secretary and general treasurer, Noel Ward, earns €107,329, according to the union accounts. “Key management compensation” for the INTO came to €385,562.The accounts also shows a bill of €142,329 for the annual congress as well as €672,826 on “seminars and conferences”.And its 63 staff shared in salaries of €3,169,356 or an average of €50,307.23 each.
Behaving like spoilt kids ,they will only be back in work for a few weeks and off again for the summer,and paid full wages for all of the pandemic
So all their talk about its the unions driving this and not us is BS .. surprise surprise.
Maybe if it was the start of the school year they should be prioritised but we are near to summer holidays so they should wait their turn like the rest of us. Why aren’t they so vocal about the fact that no safety measures have been introduced, no antigen testing, smaller class sizes ( remote & face to face learning) better ventilation. They should not be depending solely on vaccines and should be demanding that schools are as safe as they can be. They’d have my support if they demanded this.
@emer mcdonnell: totally agree and masks for primary schools is a no brainer
# I’ll wait my turn
Selfish and unneccessary, Teachers and striking go hand in hand, their unions just looking for a payday, there are thousands of people more important to vaccinate than teachers, how about all shop assistants? They have to deal with untracable contacts unlike the teachers who know exactly who will be in the class. Let them strike, school year is pretty much over anyway, it’ll save the schools a bit of money anyway if they decide to strike long term.
Gotta love the teachers
So what did the government get for the current public sector pay deal? How can they just go on strike surely you have to exhaust all other avenues to resolve the issue first. If the teachers go on strike they should loose any pay increase due to them under public sector pay deals.
“Demands” That’s the key word here.
Unions wield far too much power in this country, and isn’t it amazing that those with jobs for life, pensions and entitlements that most of us can only dream about, are the very ones that are in these unions? You never see the unions representing those who need it most, and it’s always those who know they can’t be sacked that are the ones doing the sabre rattling.
Teachers union are a disgrace.. they have 60 odd days left in school and even if they jump the que they still won’t be fully vaccinated. Super logic there. We were met with a brick wall and lame excuses for zero remote teaching over the past year.
Why do teachers think they are more important than any one else in the country. Everyone deserves to get vaccinated doesn’t matter what job you do . Or who u are . I agree the government has got the program for rolling out the vaccine wrong . It’s the summer holidays of weeks the students have lost a year due to COVID
The 15,800 rank-and-file teachers who are members of the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) have endured a 14pc pay cut in the past two years.
But its general secretary Peter McMenamin’s pay remains the same — even though it is linked to a grade in the civil service that has also been hit by a pay cut.
Mr McMenamin refused to comment last night on why he is still on the old pre-pay-cut salary level — and refused to reveal exactly what he is paid.
His union would only say that his pay scale ranges from €131,748 to €158,644.
The pay of officials in the teaching and lecturing unions is funded through subscriptions from members.
These subscriptions are usually deducted from salaries at source, by the Department of Education and Skills.
The revelation about Mr McMenamin’s pay comes as more than half the 23 public sector union leaders refused to disclose how much they were being paid
School year nearly over, 4 weeks between jabs plus 2 weeks for protection after last dose of certain brands, 6 weeks plus puts them into summer holidays if all jabbed in next few days, and that’s not gonna happen, Teachers not too bright to understand that fact. September will be another strike called.. all the time wrecking the education of kids along with Tony Holohan who’s been on the missing list now for over 40 days while getting full pay. Must be nice to be unaccountable to the masses while he basically limits your life and says you can’t do anything.
@Mick Christopher: They all want to book their summer holidays abroad no doubt, with two fingers up to non teachers, they can wait their turn like everyone else
@Mick Christopher: 12 weeks between AstraZenica jabs
Teachers have a great union but I think they’ve picked the wrong battle this time. By the time they’re vaccinated now schools will be closed anyway.
I wish the media would concentrate on all the scandals that have gone on in government. Very little reporting on what happened over the beacon, coombe and so on. Instead they concentrate on dividing the people on these things. Majority of teacher dont want to strike or vote for it so it’s not a news story. Just unions trying to flex. Let’s get more reporting on how are government is corrupt to the core.
If the Unions gets what they want here, will they make it mandatory for all teachers to take the vaccine? and if one refuse, will they get fired or will they get a bonus?
I’m a teacher. I’ll be voting no to industrial action. Age based vaccination makes the most sense. With some exceptions if you have a medical condition perhaps.
Very serious consequences to this ballot. Look at all the disciplines that have not got the vaccine. Garda especially need to be immunised. We all have reasons to be vaccinated, no harm in asking, we will have to wait our turn. Hopefully it will be done in a fair way. After all we do not have the comfort of the working environment tds and senators have.
To be honest most teacher’s I know want to be back teaching in classrooms it’s the union’s throwing there weight around to try and get a pay raise . But like sheep they will all vote for it
Somebodies not being fully truthful here..we where all told schools where safe
DOWN WITH THIS SORT OF THING!!!!
So much for all of those on here saying the unions were running with a small minority….
Shut up moaning and get on with your job .
Like every other person that has had to work through the pandemic .
As if kids haven’t suffered enough with out teachers going on strike .
Been off work getting paid for the passed year .
The gold old teaches moaning again, wanting the schools last year to be closing up extra early before Christmas after most of the year off and now looking to be bumped up the vaccine list like their some special case… no wonder most of the public has little sympathy for them.
Proper order Teachers SNAs Garda and public transport drivers should all be done !!! Packed classrooms,some member of the public spitting at Garda and public transport drivers in close contact with the public all at risk of being close contacts !!
If they picket the schools in July and August they will get the support of the public
Well I am don’t think the schools should go back and the teachers are right to be very concerned…
Could everyone open your eyes and look at the present secondary schools when the come out… Off with the mask and hang with 5+ friends in close quarters…
The median age of the new cases suggest that COVID is very prevalent in this group…
Vaccine now would have very limited impact before school holidays… Could this have been done better? Of Course but this is what it is…
I would suggest civil defence be used where they congregate and send them on their way…
A little bit petty from teachers but it does make sense in relation to not having to close schools again for a long time as adults and parents get vaccinated also. I’m a front line worker myself as a Bus Driver and I’d feel a bit unsafe if my protective window acreen wasn’t there so I do understand the fear around the situation but to have treated industrial action might be a bit overboard. After all 99% of teachers would survive from getting covid and you have analyse who you might be taking those vaccines away from.
Usual tactic of holding parents and children to Ransom by Teachers, disgusting.
Just stay with the age related plan..teachers will be vaccinated by the time new school year starts in September. We need to have some attempt at transparency now after HSE debacle!
Shameful carry on. There’s so many people at the front line constantly ie supermarket people, takeaways, army, service stations, rescue people, and dare I say the Gardaí and a load more taken for granted every day.
Don’t go blaming the teachers. Question the unions
:The School Around The Corner nots The same”
As a teacher I will be voting against industrial action. We are where we are. We have some level of control over our working conditions. Vaccinate the Gardaí and SNAs please.
Jesus STOP Bickering everyone We will all be Vaccinated by September.
Clearly no anti bullying policy with that lot….
Throw the book at them if they strike. Gardai out on the front line dealing with god knows what and all they have is gloves and masks.
Give the teachers the same and get in the que
There won’t be a strike. The union will ballot and the motion to strike might pass. But it won’t result in a strike – just the threat of one to the government.
Seemingly if you threaten and scream loudly you can jump the queue? Wrong, take your turn like all the rest! It’s getting ridiculous the various sectors thinking they are more important, where will it end!
I think the creche workers should be prioritised in front of teachers and truck drivers, shop workers etc who have worked without stopping through this pandemic.
I hope the government stick to their guns and don’t give in to these overpaid teachers they are a bunch of entitled primadonnas
Do teachers intend to allow the oldest teachers to be vaccinated first, before younger teachers?
Will they all have to go to the Beacon Hospital for the privilege.
Instead of striking just refuse to work in the classrooms and work remotely (they keep telling us they were always working even when schools were closed).
No problem with the private school in bray getting vaccinated
@Margaret Kane: There was a problem with that and it was a decision of a private hospital. Seriously keep up!!
Spokesman on RTE news hadn’t answers to questions only opinions. Would expect more from a teacher
After first responders it should be retail food workers. They deserve it. Not the moaners
PUP them all!
As someone just posted Unions have power now just think about how the HSE is going to be sorted out!
The UK JCVI set out the advice on priority groups in December and this seems to have worked and been accepted by the public.
self-righteous pitchforks are out today spouting their usual nonsense.
maybe research the NET salary before you go online spreading shyte
I said this today to a friend who is a teacher, they need to get rid of these officials, they have zero PR skills and are completely out of touch with reality
I said this today to a friend who is a teacher, they need to get rid of these officials, they have zero PR skills and are completely out of touch with reality
Practicality pitted against logic.
Sure what difference does it make, if they get the first dose next week, they likely won’t get 2nd dose till summer and they will
Still only be fully vaccinated from then on so they would still be at risk until then
I hope the teachers know what they’re voting for and the aftereffects. I also wonder if the teacher unions have spoken to all the teachers about this before they have gone public on it.
A lot of other comments here are talking about support for them and public perception.
The age old saying says: Be careful what you wish for
Supermarket workers not going on strike and they are dealing with public right through this whole pandemic. Not on same pay or holidays
I said this today to a friend who is a teacher, they need to get rid of these officials, they have zero PR skills and are completely out of touch with reality
I said this today to a friend who is a teacher, they need to get rid of these officials, they have zero PR skills and are completely out of touch with reality
have your say