CP Hours - TUI/ASTI Split

coillsaille · 01-10-2025 09:35AM #1

I know this forum has gone very quiet and doesn't seem to be frequented by as many teachers as it used to. But just wondering what the reaction is to the new Dept circular re CP hours and the ASTI response to it.

For those not up to speed, the Dept have said ASTI members are still on 23 whole school hours and 10 individual hours. TUI members and those not in either union now only have to do 19 whole school hours and 14 hours on an individual basis.

The ASTI response has been to issue guidance that in schools where not all are ASTI then the ASTI members should only do 19 whole school hours also as it's technically impossible to do the 23 on a "whole school basis" if not all staff are doing them.

Just wondering what the response has been in schools where there's a mix?

JP2000 · 01-10-2025 10:45PM

It’s a farcical situation now. TUI members would surely feel ashamed to be opting out of hours that their ASTI colleagues may be required to do. Solidarity would be great, but it seems in short supply when it comes to the TUI

coillsaille · 02-10-2025 10:49AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123868828#Comment_123868828

But the ASTI guidance is for their members not to do the extra hours if all staff in a school aren't doing them.

JP2000 · 02-10-2025 01:33PM

Yes. I’ve actually seen comments on a Facebook page however where a TUI member took umbrage with the fact that the ASTI might not do them even though they voted against acceptance of the measures.

JP2000 · 03-10-2025 05:19PM

This forum really is dead. Shame.

coillsaille · 03-10-2025 07:06PM

Agree on both counts.

It used to be great for hearing how things were being done in other schools but no more it seems. Such a shame because teachers are always getting it from all sides and this forum used to be great just for solidarity and moral support alone.

Icsics · 03-10-2025 09:44PM

if our place is anything is anything to go by, the stalwarts have retired & younger teachers simply do not care about any of this! We discovered today that we have a TUI member…so we’ll be doing the 19 hrs, as per A.S.T.I. advice. Of course this will be until the JMB wake up & come up with their own ‘guidelines’.

mtoutlemonde · 03-10-2025 11:21PM

The divide and conquer approach is allowing the Department to do as they like. I really don't know how this will be implemented without JMB taking a stand. Sadly this divide will mean the prospect of the unions merging very slim. Again the Department win.

in my school where the teachers are very young, they are willing to do anything management say with many doing duties that are posts in other schools and are not part of any union. A lot of teachers nowadays don't see the importance of being in a union … but they will learn probably when too late sadly.

coillsaille · 04-10-2025 07:49AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123875371#Comment_123875371

If ye are to do just the 19 hours then that TUI member needs to sign the declaration attached to the circular and give it to management before the deadline, which is Oct 7th I think.

Otherwise ye all (including the TUI member) stay on 23 hours.

Bear in mind too that the new arrangements also apply to non-union members not just TUI members. But the non-union people must also complete the declaration.

Icsics · 04-10-2025 10:20AM

Thanks for that coillsaille, we were told not to sign the declaration but your point makes sense. This forum is so important for the sharing of advice, much appreciated coillsaille, thanks

coillsaille · 04-10-2025 05:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123876212#Comment_123876212

We (as in ASTI) don't sign the declaration alright, you are correct about that. Any staff member that doesn't sign will be considered to be ASTI.

But to be able to implement the ASTI guidance of only doing 19 hours then those on staff who aren’t ASTI (either TUI or no union) do have to sign the declaration. Otherwise the whole staff stay on 23 hours.

Edit to add: Even if only one full-time staff member isn't in the ASTI and they submit the signed declaration to the principal before the deadline then the ASTI guidance applies. Because that one staff member now only has to do 19 whole-school CP hours so then it's not technically possible for the ASTI members in the school to do 23 hours on a "whole-school" basis.

CP Hours - TUI/ASTI Split

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