450 delegates of Irish teachers' union TUI unanimously rejected the agreement that was negotiated last month. Members of TUI, which include 15,000 post-primary and third level teachers will be balloted, with the recommendation to reject the agreement. Delegates also voted to reserve the right to act without the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, whose leadership was criticized by the TUI president, Don Ryan. Ryan said that voting for the agreement would have robbed them of their credibility, and he also questioned the government's allocation of resources. He asked why teachers were being cut, and school budgets slashed while the government bailed out banks. This is the first rejection of the pay deal agreement.
See "TUI votes unanimously to reject public sector pay deal", Louise Holden, Irish Times, April 5, 2010