'Croke Park hours' and primary teaching pay: The numbers behind the work-to-rule action
Primary school teachers in Ireland, represented by the INTO union, have initiated work-to-rule industrial action as part of a broader public sector pay dispute. Teachers are refusing to perform unpaid 'Croke Park hours' or attend meetings outside of standard school hours to push for better salary agreements.
Why it matters
This labor dispute impacts the delivery of primary education across Ireland and reflects broader tensions regarding public sector compensation and inflation.
PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS who are members of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) began work-to-rule today amid an ongoing public sector pay dispute.
The INTO is the largest teachers’ trade union in Ireland, representing over 48,000 members. The move is part of wider industrial action involving more than 100,000 public sector workers.
For primary school teachers, their work-to-rule action will see them abandon additional non-teaching working hours, known as Croke Park hours, where they supervise children before and after class time.
The Croke Park Agreement, at primary level, provides for an additional 36 hours per school year. The additional time requirement is to provide for a “range of activities” to take place without reducing class contact time. There is no additional pay for these hours worked.
As part of work-to-rule, teachers will refuse to attend formal parent-teacher meetings or staff meetings that occur outside normal school hours.
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