Page 10 - ELG1901 Jan-Feb 463

NEWS .

Ireland to act on ELT working ASTI

conditions as college closure

highlights teachers’ plight

The Irish Parliament is looking to enact protections
for English language teachers

By Matt Salusbury Union officials held a first meeting in the lower house, the Dail,
The appointment of Patrick King with King, himself the former Member of Parliament (TD)
as mediator between employers general secretary of Irish teachers’ Richard Boyd Barrett referred
and employees in Ireland’s ELT union ASTI, in January. to a Grafton teacher he knew Pat King, former General
industry marks a major landmark Following the meeting, Unite personally. According to Barrett, Secretary of ASTI union
in the campaign by Irish EFL the Union Ireland’s senior regional Grafton was the third school his
teachers for better regulation of organiser, Davy Kettyles, issued friend had been working which January, however the policy had
their terms and conditions. a press release stating that the had closed suddenly, so that changed.
The issue of conditions for EFL union, “look forward to continuing he had been “left high and dry Addressing the Seanad, minister
teachers hit the national press engaging with Patrick King and by one rogue employer after of higher education Mary Mitchell
after the sudden closure of Dublin the Department [of Education] another”. O’Connor said of Ireland’s ELT
language school Grafton Colleges to develop minimum employment Ireland has seen a string of industry, “Those working in it
Dublin left at least 23 members of standards for teachers – standards language school failures, peaking are integral to the quality of that
staff out of work (see news report which reflect the work they do in 2014-2015, most in the provision… No-one want to see
on page 6). and their contribution to the ELT unaccredited sector. This led to English language teachers not
The story went viral when sector in Ireland”. the introduction of government being paid or being deprived of
the Irish Times reported on two As we reported in our previous measures to protect student fees, their employment rights. The
members of the Grafton staff, issue, political support for but did not address the plight of situation that has emerged at
Robert and Gisela Dunlop, who the teachers’ cause has been staff left owing wages. Grafton College where teachers
were informed of the closure growing for some months. In The Union began a campaign have been left without salaries is
on their wedding day. The pair December, Ireland’s Senate passed for better terms and conditions completely unacceptable.”
found themselves unpaid and amendments to draft legislation on some two years ago, but the O’Connor announced the
unemployed just weeks before the regulating the ELT sector, which teachers’ plight first gained appointment of a mediator, as
birth of their first child. included protections for teachers widespread public attention only well as the possibly of establishing
The school closure added in the event of the sudden closure in April 2018, with the closure of a legally-binding collective
pressure on the government to of any private language schools. Lanlearn, an unaccredited school agreement between employers and
respond to a two-year campaign The political pressure in Limerick. employees. Under Irish law, any
by teachers, spearheaded by the continued to mount after the Despite a number of well- Registered Employment Agreement
ELT branch of the Unite Union. school closure. In a speech publicised demonstrations that emerges from such mediation is
by teachers, the government enforceable by a Labour Court.
WIKIMEDIA CREATIVE COMMONS the government increased after that have signed up to such
initially refused to meet with
While such rulings only apply
their representatives. Pressure on
to the workplaces of employers
members of the Irish Senate, the
agreements, if enough employers
in ELT conclude agreements
Seanad, added teacher protection
with their workforce it will have
measures to the Qualifications
a positive effect on working
and Quality Assurance Bill 2018,
which sought to improve the
also
called
O’Conner
regulation of the international
education sector. conditions across the industry. on
“employers and staff representative
The Bill, which passed its bodies to actively engage with Mr
second stage in the Seanad in King to explore the potential to
December, was amended to address the employment related
include a teacher protection fund issues that have been so damaging
to cover unpaid wages in the event to the sector in the recent past.
of sudden school closure, and the This will be a positive benefit to
creation of a Fair Employment the sector.”
Mark, awarded to Schools which As of mid-January, the
guarantee decent terms and Qualifications and Quality
conditions to their teachers. Assurance Bill was still awaiting
Despite the media storm the remaining Committee stages,
breaking around the Grafton after which there are then at
Richard Boyd Barrett, TD, spoke in Parliament teachers, the government initially least six stages in the current
on behalf of a friend left high-and-dry held out against intervening in session of the Dail before it can
working conditions. By early pass into law.
10 January/February 2019