Students and Super Unions 26/02/08

INTO Press Release : Statement by John Carr, General Secretary, Irish National Teachers Organisation on Students and Super Unions

26 February 2008

Editorial for the Irish Independent on Students and Super Unions

THEY say the key to education is making hard things easy. One wouldn't have thought so, judging by the fractious behaviour of teacher unions over the past few years. Indeed one could have easily formed the impression that they have actively been engaged in demonstrating the opposite: making easy things hard. Instead of standing united in a common cause, they have gamely battled on four different fronts, through four separate representative bodies. Obviously this blunted their force, and diluted their arguments.

Such was the level of dissent within the ranks that there was no need for government negotiator to pursue a policy of divide and conquer in pay negotiations – the unions were doing the job for them.

Today's news that plans are at an advanced stage to eventually form a single union with 55,000 members will be welcomed. The super union will represent a formidable new force on the industrial relations landscape.

At a stroke, teachers will greatly strengthen their leverage and collective impact. It will be easier to transcends electoral interests and pool resources, harnessing resolve in a single direction.

Evidently, the move will pose serious challenges for leadership. Such an approach should also give a sharper focus and stronger dynamic to the conduct of their business. It is worth repeating that with greater power comes greater responsibility.

And obviously the interests of students must be boldly reflected in whatever power balance emerges in the eventual merger. The unions involved are the Irish National Teachers Organisation, Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland, Teachers' Union of Ireland and Irish Federation of University Teachers.

It is suggested that one of the principles guiding the talks is affirming that the identity of each union is best preserved in a federated structure. But obviously the interests of students must not be lost sight of and be sharply reflected in the new body.  ENDS