Over 23,000 TUI members commence industrial action today amid pay dispute

From today, TUI members will not respond to work emails or calls outside their contracted working hours.

OVER 23,000 TEACHERS’ Union of Ireland (TUI) members in the post-primary, further and Higher Education sectors are commencing industrial action today amid the wider public pay dispute.

From today, TUI members will not respond to work emails or calls outside their contracted working hours.

TUI members in second-level schools will also withdraw from Croke Park hours.

Croke Park hours are the additional non-teaching working hours, brought in as part of the Croke Park and Haddington Road agreements.

TUI members will also engage in the all-out strike action planned for this Wednesday, 14 October, and Wednesday, 21 October.

Poll Results:

">Public sector unions have taken industrial action over what they describe as the government’s failure to negotiate a fair pay agreement that reflects the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. (13)

">Over 98% of TUI members voted in favour of a campaign of industrial action. (6)

">Public sector unions have taken industrial action over what they describe as the government’s failure to negotiate a fair pay agreement that reflects the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
">Over 98% of TUI members voted in favour of a campaign of industrial action.

Screenshot 2026-10-11 at 15.29.45 Placards at the Community School in Carrigaline, as part of the one day strike at second level schools and colleges in 2020 alamy alamy

TUI president Anthony Quinn said that the action “should be no surprise to anybody”.

“It is months since the last pay agreement expired and workers continue to see their standard of living eroded by constant increases in the cost of essential outgoings such as food, fuel, rent and mortgages. Enough is enough”, Quinn noted.

TUI general secretary Michael Gillespie said, “we appeal to government to do the right thing as an employer and to provide the basis for meaningful, formal negotiations as a matter of urgency.” Quinn warned that “failure to do so will see further industrial unrest across the public service”.

Speaking on RTÉ’s The Week in Politics on Sunday, Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless said the government was ready to negotiate with unions, pointing to the €1.2 billion set aside for public sector pay in Budget 2027.

He added that the government is “a good employer” and said the average wage of a public sector worker “is far higher than that of a private sector worker.”

“They don’t want to be out on the picket on Wednesday,” he said, and urged union leadership to come in and talk.