Teachers strike
Almost 400 schools will close today as thousands of teachers strike over pay.
The Teachers Union of Ireland, which represents the secondary and third level teachers, wants new entrants paid the same as their colleagues.
Almost 19,000 teachers are to strike today in a row over pay.
The Teachers Union of Ireland says the strike's taking place because those hired after 2011 are paid at a lower rate than colleagues, despite doing the same work.
Eamonn Maguire, Tara Ní Mhóráin and Rod Gillon share their experiences of pay discrimination ahead of tomorrow's national strike https://t.co/xlgFSVZta7
— Teachers' Union Ire. (@TUIunion) February 3, 2020
Meanwhile, the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland says a ballot of its member for industrial action's underway on the same issue.
The union's also holding a protest outside the Department later in support of their TUI colleagues.
#equalpayforequalwork #TUIstrike pic.twitter.com/gzzo5anarZ
— Teachers' Union Ire. (@TUIunion) February 3, 2020
TUI general secretary, John MacGabhann, explained that the strike is a last resort - suggesting the pay parity issue is now impacting on students.
He said: "The effect of the pay discrimination has been that there is now a significant and deepening crisis in teachers' supply... in the recruitment and retention of teachers.
