The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) has voted decisively to accept the national pay deal and pay increases proposed under benchmarking.
In results announced today 75 per cent of members voted in favour of the deals.
The turnout for the ballot was approximately 40 per cent of membership.
The ASTI will formally inform the Department of Education of their acceptance of "Sustaining Progress" andbenchmarking at a meeting of the Teachers' Conciliation Council this afternoon.
ASTI members are now in line to receive 7 per cent from the national deal plus 13.5 per cent from the benchmarking package.
The result marks the end of the union's three-year pay battle with the Government. It also opens the way for the Department of Education to press on with a modernisation programme. This includes discussions on parent/teacher meetings at night and efforts to move to a standardised school year.
The two other teaching unions, the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) and the Tearchers Union of Ireland (TUO), have already backed the deals.
