1,100 Galway secondary school teachers strike today

Almost 40 schools in Galway are affected by strike action by secondary school teachers today.
Yesterday many schools in the city and county were closed because ASTI teachers would not carry out supervision and subsitution duties.
Boards of Management closed many schools yesterday for health and safety reasons as ASTI members refused to cover substitution and supervision.
Tomorrow, schools could remain closed for the same reason, despite ASTI teachers being available to teach classes.
Today meanwhile, all-out strike action is being taken by 1,100 ASTI members in Galway over a second issue – lack of equal basic pay for teachers who qualified after 2011.
Local ASTI representative Noelle Moran says the union wants parity of pay.
Both teachers and the Department of Education are trying to blame each other for causing this strike which has affected 200,000 students across the country today.
Minister Bruton said he’s bewildered that teachers would strike over what amounts to one hour’s work a week.
Teachers say that’s not the issue, and that it’s a matter of equal pay.
Noelle Moran of the ASTI says it’s not fair that new teachers are on lower pay than their colleagues for the same job.
The ASTI has planned five more official strike days over the issue of equal pay, while they will continue to refrain from substitution and supervision on an ongoing basis.