Latest: Threat of school closures averted as motion for strike action defeated
: The threat of secondary school closures next month has been averted after teachers voted against taking more strike action.
ASTI delegates spent the day considering a series of one day stoppages in protest over pay levels for new entrants - but the motion was defeated.
However delegates have voted to withdraw from classroom substitution duties from September.
Secondary school teachers are promising not to disrupt State exams if they go on strike next month.
They are considering a series of one day stoppages in protest over entry pay levels.
The motion will be debated by delegates at the ASTI's annual convention today.
President elect, Ger Curtin, says they'll balance the needs of students and teachers.
Teachers are planning to ballot for strike action if equal pay is not restored by September.
The action by the Teachers' Union of Ireland would take place in October.
The motion was passed by TUI delegates at their conference in Cork yesterday.
General Secretary of the TUI John MacGabhann says payscales are misleading - and many young teachers are not getting the full salary from the start.
"There are very little professional jobs that actually take six years of pre-training.
"Teachers now at second level are not beginning their career until, on average, they are 26 years of age and the second thing to say about that is, very few of them actually begin on the full salary."
