The retention of newly trained teachers is being highlighted today as many Tipperary schools remain closed this afternoon.
Thousands of secondary school teachers and college lecturers that are members of the TUI, are staging a day of strike action in a row over unequal pay.
Nationally, almost 400 schools closed today due to the dispute, which aims to highlight a pay disparity, which sees teachers hired after January 2011 on a lower pay scale.
Nenagh College is one of many facilities affected, and teacher Tanya Powell explains the impact of being on the lower pay scale.
Tanya’s colleague at Nenagh College, Nicole Hanlon, is also on the picket line this afternoon:
Former Tipperary senior football manager Peter Creedon is Principal at Coláiste Dun Iascaigh in Cahir, another of the schools affected.
He wants action to be taken on unequal pay and says that teacher recruitment is becoming an issue for many schools:
Kate is a teacher at Coláiste Dun Iascaigh, and is on the lower pay scale.
She says that current conditions are encouraging many teachers to go abroad for work:
The union is warning that further strike action could be on the cards if Government action isn’t taken.
