IPPN

Published: 24 March 2009

In response to requests for professional guidance for Principals in relation to the proposed Day of Strike Action on Monday, March 30th, IPPN has consulted with INTO, CPSMA, the Church of Ireland Board of Education, Educate Together & An Forás Pátrunachta.

Based on our consultations with and allowing for the different circumstances in each school, IPPN offers the following guidance for Principals and Deputy Principals:

• The closure of any individual school is a matter for the Board of Management alone
• While preparing for March 30th, Principals find themselves in a unique situation, ie. as members of the INTO they have been directed to withdraw their services as part of the strike action. However, the Principal is a member of the BoM and is the "day-to-day" anger of the school. This point should be made clear to BoM, and fellow members of the Board should be asked to understand and respect both the Principal's rights as an employee as well as their management responsibilities
• In anticipation of possible strike action, the Principal should request the Chairperson to call a meeting of the BOM at the earliest possible date.

The following issues need discussion and decisions by the BoM

Staff

• The INTO has directed Teachers to withdraw their services on March 30th. INTO members working in Special Schools have been exempted from strike action and will work as normal on March 30th.
• Unions representing SNAs, secretaries, caretakers, bus escorts and other support staff have yet to confirm their plans. In many cases SNAs & other support staff are not union members
• The BoM must establish which members of staff will / will not be available on March 30th
• Each member of staff should be contacted individually to establish their availability for work on March 30th
• The BoM must delegate this task to one or more of its members

Children

• Based on the availability of staff, the BoM must decide on grounds of Health & Safety, whether or not the school should be open to receive children on March 30th
• Parents should be informed of this decision as early as possible
• Parents should be notified by the Chairperson of the BoM using normal means of communication, ie. Photocopied circular note or TextaParent.ie

School Opening

• In the event that one or more employees indicate their intention to work as normal on March 30th, the BoM must arrange that the school is opened for these employees
• The BoM should make arrangements that a key-holder facilitates the opening and closing of the school at normal times.
• The BoM must delegate this task to one or more of its members.

March 30th Record

• The BoM must arrange that an accurate record is kept of staff members who do/do not present themselves for work on March 30th
• This information must be given to those responsible for OLCS Data Entry & Data Control
• The BoM must delegate this task to one or more of its members

If and when further information becomes available, it will be sent to you by E-scéal or Text Message. Please also refer to www.cpsma.ie, www.into.ie and www.impact.ie for additional information.

Is sinne le meas

Seán & Larry