Articles

Source: Irish Independent

I AM a secondary school teacher with over 25 years of teaching experience and I wish to register my disgust and outrage with the decision of my union, the ASTI, for its vigorous and aggressive campaign to encourage members to vote 'yes' to industrial action.

ASTI members, along with colleagues from the TUI and INTO unions, were told it was "vital" that all vote 'yes' to this ballot.

The TUI has asked the ICTU to "co-ordinate strike action to provide maximum effect".

Our unions acknowledge publicly that we are in severely difficult economic times. They have witnessed thousands of job losses each day, with many people losing their livelihoods.

They must surely realise our country is close to meltdown.

How can they be so ignorant of basic economics? It is nothing short of embarrassing.

As a teacher and a parent of five dependant children, I am experiencing financial difficulty but I recognise that I am far from alone.

It is, therefore, hard to believe that the only solution that our unions can offer is industrial action.

In addition, we have provided the unions with a mandate "to engage in whatever action the union deems appropriate". How ominous that now sounds.

We are going to walk out of our jobs, while hundreds of thousands queue on the dole line.

This action will literally cost millions to an already distressed economy. Does this really make sense to anyone?

I quote Yeats who best describes how I view our union leaders: "The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity."

For obvious reasons, I leave my name and address with the editor.