Outrage As ASTI Bureaucrats Shamefully Encourage Members to Accept Bad Senior Cycle Deal

The fat cats in the trade union leadership are at it again, and members are outraged. The ASTI second level teachers' union are recommending to their members that they accept the senior cycle reform deal struck with the government. This deal, it is argued, would massively increase workload for certain teachers, without adequate pay compensation.

"I know people doing grinds and extra work to make ends meet as teachers. The new leaving cert reforms could massively increase the workload for teachers in some subjects. It is a simple case of a minority being shafted, and we already do not have enough Mathematics and Science teachers. These reforms will not help with the shortage," said Alejandra Marti Perez, a student teacher, in a statement to Aontacht Media.

The dispute centers around reforms to assessment in the senior cycle, which would see a structural change. There would be less reliance on final exams, and more school-based assessments, such as project work, labs and practical work. It is argued that this will disadvantage all teachers, but especially those in the science subjects, who will need to undertake lab-based assessment, for which there are neither sufficient additional resources nor assistance.

ASTI members took to social media to vent their frustration, including Twitter, Reddit and Facebook. They criticized the deal and union leadership for bowing to the Department of Education. Almost all comments were negative, showing the outrage of members at the now-widespread practice of union leadership selling piecemeal deals to their workers rather than fighting for better working conditions.

"We might as well just ballot for all members accepting whatever the department thinks up next, before they even think of it, " wrote one teacher on Facebook, while another asked, "why is the ASTI now organising a second ballot and recommending 'yes' when in the first ballot last year your members voted 'no'?!?!".

Members have circulated a template letter to send to the union to state their opposition to the senior cycle deal, which can be found below.