Teachers Begin Work-to-Rule on 5 October Ahead of 14 October Strike Day
Secondary teachers won't reply to parents' emails or calls from 5 October, with a strike on 14 October.
Primary and secondary teachers will begin industrial action on Monday 5 October 2026 in a dispute over public service pay. INTO members will take part in a proposed 24-hour work stoppage on Wednesday 14 October, while ASTI members will take part in a public-service-wide day of strike action on the same date.
The action follows the expiry of the Public Service Agreement 2024-2026 in June. The INTO said it balloted members in response to the Government's failure to establish a basis for negotiations on a public sector agreement.
Primary and special schools
Members of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) backed industrial action with a 99.5% 'Yes' vote, which the union described as the largest ballot of primary teachers ever undertaken in its history.
Under a directive issued by the union's Central Executive Committee, members will, from Monday 5 October, cease co-operation with Croke Park Hours and refrain from attending staff meetings and formal parent/teacher meetings outside of school hours. The INTO said its members in primary and special schools will not work beyond their contracted daily teaching hours.
The INTO has advised members that they will participate in the proposed 24-hour work stoppage on Wednesday 14 October. On 18 September, the union said its executive would meet again in the coming weeks to consider escalation from mid-October if necessary.
John Boyle, INTO General Secretary:
"âŚthis Directive is merely the first phase of our action."
INTO President Brendan Horan said the union's first action in the South is intended to lay the path towards a fair pay negotiation with Government.
Second-level schools
Members of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) voted by 95% to 5% to take industrial action, up to and including strike action, on a turnout of 56%.
Up to 20,000 ASTI members will begin initial action from Monday 5 October, involving withdrawal from selected activities such as the Croke Park Hours. According to the union's FAQ, this includes parent-teacher meetings, staff meetings and open nights held under Croke Park Hours, as well as meetings held outside normal school hours.
The ASTI said parent-teacher meetings already planned for October can be rescheduled to take place during school hours; otherwise, they should be cancelled.
Members will not respond to emails from management, parents or outside agencies, and will not take or make phone calls to parents or other outside agencies. Concerns related to child protection are exempt from both instructions.
Exemptions have also been granted for multi-day school trips abroad planned for October, and for multi-day trips in Ireland arranged for October and fully paid for. Extracurricular activities may continue, with the exception of the strike day.
ASTI members will participate in a public-service-wide day of strike action on Wednesday 14 October, with pickets placed on all second-level schools where ASTI members teach. The union said one-day school tours should not go ahead on the strike day.
Linda Kelly, ASTI General Secretary:
"Teachers' pay has fallen significantly behind inflation."
ASTI President Richie Bell called on the Government to commit to meaningful negotiations on closing the pay-inflation gap experienced by teachers and other public service workers.
TUI and SNAs
The Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) has balloted its members on industrial action in the national pay dispute, with ballot papers to be received before close of business on Friday 2 October. Separately, over 98% of TUI members voted for industrial action over the failure of the Department of Education and Youth to pay a 1% salary increase linked to Senior Cycle redevelopment.
FĂłrsa has said all of its SNA members have been instructed to take industrial action, and that special schools will not be exempt. This applies to both the work-to-rule and the strike days.
