DISAGREEMENTS over the extra productivity in return for a £70 million deal on pay and conditions are delaying the completion of long running talks between teacher unions, school managers and the Government.
Intensive negotiations over the past two days have failed to resolve differences between unions and managers over the extra duties the State's 40,000 teachers are prepared to take on. At one stage, the talks were adjourned following heated argument. The negotiations will resume on Monday.
Managers have argued that proposals on the table for improving productivity in education will not substantially benefit schools. They point out that the unions' offer of 15 additional hours of work a year for non teaching duties is considerably less than the 40 hours originally sought by the Department of Education.
Second level unions are prepared to accept that teachers might put in up to two hours a week substituting for absent colleagues. However, this is subject to teachers not working more than the regulation 22 hours a week, a condition which the managers say would make the proposal unworkable.
There is also concern that under current proposals, teachers will not be specifically committed to non teaching duties. Some believe the Department's Time in School circular on the length of the school year has been watered down considerably.
Further difficulties have arisen with the proposal to base all future promotions on merit. This could run into legal problems in secondary schools, where nuns brothers and priests enjoy specific employment rights.
Government and union negotiators have already agreed the outline of a package, although the Minister for Education has made it clear that only about £30 million is available this year under the Programme for Competitiveness and Work. The remainder would be paid out from next year.
Aside from productivity, the parties have yet to reach agreement on shortening the teachers' pay scale, and the creation of additional promotional posts. The overall deal will allow 300 teachers a year to retire early as well as increasing allowances for the majority of teachers.
Allowances for 19,000 middle ranking and senior teachers will be increased by an average of 25 per cent. In addition, 600 additional posts of responsibility will be created at second level, and 900 B posts will be upgraded to A posts. At primary level, 2,600 B posts will be created. Currently, the yearly allowance for an A post is £2,820 and for a B post £1,247.
