New Pension Scheme: NQTs and 26 Week Rule

Since the beginning of this year (January 2013) a new pension scheme has come into effect for new entrants to the public sector.

This was strongly rejected by the INTO as an unfair and larcenous pension scheme. The value of one's pension is based on career averaged earnings as a result of this new scheme, and due to the formula used the result is that the value of a new entrant's pension since January is 20% less. The public servant in question will in effect pay more into their pension fund than they will receive back on retirement.

This was researched and proven in independent research commissioned by the INTO, ASTI and TUI, and published in the Trident Report. (available at www.into.ie.)

Those teachers who had previously been employed by the Dept. of Education and Skills before January 2013, will remain on the 2004 scheme, and their conditions remain unchanged regarding pensions, unless they break the '26 week Rule'.

This rule would dictate that any teacher who has been in the service for any amount of time, retains their pension conditions UNLESS, they break service for 26 weeks or more. ie. they do not receive a pay check for 26 weeks or more, and will be considered a 'new entrant' on return to employment in the DES.

For example, if a teacher graduated in 2011, worked until June 2012, has been subbing in this current school year, but since Christmas has not worked a day due to various circumstances, they are at risk of loosing their pensions entitlements.

If their last day working (subbing, temporary contract, maternity leave etc.) was December 21st 2012, and they now decided to move abroad for 6 months to work, the 26 week rule will take effect.
When they return from their 6 month break, they will therefore be treated as a 'new entrant' and would come under the new Career Averaged Pension Scheme (20% less value).

So how do you combat this?
1. Ensure your service with the DES does not become idle for 26 weeks or more.

How do I do this?
1. If you have worked in 2012, 2011, 2010, etc, then you must not let 26 weeks lapse before receiving a pay check from the DES. Therefore, even one subbing day ensures this will not happen.

'I'm travelling abroad for the rest of this school year, and do not intend working in a school here...What do I do?'

• If it is envisaged that you will not work in a school here this year, it is strongly advised that you make arrangements in order to do one day or a period of subbing before June 2013. If not, 26 weeks will lapse, and you will be considered a 'new entrant' when you return to teaching here.

'I'm subbing now, but work is hard to come by...What do I do?'

• Subbing may be hard to come by, but as long as you do not go 26 weeks without one day's work, you will be OK, so one days subbing is enough, but obviously plenty more is ideal for obvious reasons!

Hopefully this will clear up some confusion about the new pension scheme, and who will be influenced and effected by it's callous and larcenous measures.

Branch AGMs and Croke Park Deal

Welcome back everybody, and we hope 2013 has been good to you so far.
Just to let you know, we hope to meet in early February. With the Allowance battle early this school year, many meetings took place, and we hope that this next meeting will be focused on NQT priorities for Congress, and the Croke Park Extension you will have all heard about of late.

Just some updates below on upcoming events and issues

Croke Park Agreement Extension and Branch AGMs:
The Government announced late last year that it wishes to save a further €1bn across the Public Sector through the Croke Park Agreement. This will be in addition to the planned savings of over €3bn.
This will bring new challenges to our pay and conditions. Today, the public sector unions, including the INTO, met with the Government representatives, and will meet again tomorrow with a focus on education. Union leaders exited the talks with a sober outlook for members. In particular some areas which are up for discussion are further 'Croke Park Hours', increment freezes, pay cuts, and cuts to non-core pay.
None of these are final, nor are they specific yet to one group of public sector workers, nor one particular group of teachers.
However, as we are well aware, the original and existing Croke Park Agreement has attacked and decimated NQTs and new entrants in many ways.

To ensure this does not happen again, while ensuring that pay and conditions of all teachers is protect, NQTs, NPTs should have their voices heard.
The next event at which you can have your voice heard, stand up for your pay and conditions, and hear the voices of others, will be your Branch AGMs. You will be informed by your Branch Secretary of the venue and time, but also they are available on the INTO website here.

These will be difficult deliberations, and any agreement extension will have to go to ballot of members. Despite the difficulties that our union faces, this must only be a spur and driving force for us to stand up for all our members and ensure that the Government cannot inflict further casualties unfairly on Public Sector workers, over half of whom earn less than €50,000 a year.

Keep up to date at www.into.ie/ROI

Lastly, at your Branch AGM motions for this year's Congress in the Silver Springs Hotel, Cork, will be discussed and deliberated over in order to give them a priority rating. If you have been involved in wording motions and proposing them it is important that you attend. If not, it is still vitally important as each view, interpretation and opinion is vital in order for our Union's compass and direction be driven by the members.

Let your TD know what you think!

Ahead of Budget 2013, NQTs can play an active role in lobbying of TD's.

Last year, with a campaing to protect DEIS (education is disadvantaged areas), INTO Members worked to get 6,000 people on the streets outside the Department of Education. However, this was also combined with an intense lobby of TDs. This lobby and pressure was clear in the result of the majority of the DEIS cuts being reveresed. It was even more clear from insights into the office of Ruairí Quinn and the Labour party.

Announcing the reversal of the cuts Min. Quinn, said that DEIS was reversed and he was wrong. In RTE's 'Inside the Department' fly on the wall documentary, it was clear that Labour backbencers feared that they would loose support. Min. Quinn also implied that those who make the most noise will be heard.

We should take this lesson and mobilise this tactic again. And as young voters we can have a big influence, as we will in the future be voting for the very same TDs as they seek a seat again.

Your local TD can be contacted easily. Google them and their contact details will appear on their website or their party's website.

It is worth having some constructive alternatives to austerity for your TD. The Nevin Economic Research Institute (NERI) produced an alternative Budget Plan, Plan B (here), and some of the facts and points are very useful. Your local INTO Branch, or District Comm. members can help you access these further, or email us here at intodistrict14nqt@gmail.com and we can help you out.

Let them know what you think, let them know you care, let them know they should care.

November Update

Meeting ahead of Campaign

This Wednesday 7th of November there will be a meeting in the Teacher's Club @ 7pm, to organise and further the campaign started by a Protest Rally (below).

It is vital that as many NQTs turn up to this meeting. ALL TEACHERS are welcome to attend, and it is neither an NQT or Established Teacher specific gathering. The aim is to assess the campaign and rally to date, but more importantly, pave the manner in which we take the campaign further. A lobby of TDs will be initiated, therefore, regardless of where you are registered, you have a vote somewhere in this country, and your local TD needs to know that their actions in Budget 2013 will be remembered, and that your vote will be cast accordingly.

 

Hope to see you all there!

 

Protest Rally on Wednesday 24th of October

Student Teachers make their voices heard (Photo: www.into.ie/ROI)

After engaging with colleges and staffs all over the Dublin Districts and further beyond, INTO,ASTI and TUI members brought 2,000 teachers to the gates of Dáil Éireann. The protest was in build up and anticipation of a 5th Austerity Budget to cross our doors.

Speakers ranged from an established teacher showing solidarity, to a student union representative speaking on behalf of our future colleagues. Leaders of the three Trade Unions, expressed strongly that NQTs and new entrants have borne their fair share of pain over the last 4 years.

The rally was very well attended by students teachers and NQTs. However, this was only the start of a Pre-Budget Campaign that every members of the INTO should have a say in, but also be a part of in as it takes place.

 

There is a 'Plan B'

The Nevin Economic Research Institute (NERI), has published research that shows cutting our way out of this recession is not the only option. We could climb out of this hole without digging deeper into the fabric of society, cutting vital services in Education, Health, and Social Welfare. We can share the pain more equitably, rather than targeting those who have given more than their fair share already. We could raise taxes fairly, through income tax, as we tax at a lower rate than the EU average.

This would mean that everybody earning the same as you would pay the same amount, and those earning more would pay more if the tax system allowed for this to be so.

There is much detail in the report which can be viewed here, and is certainly worth scanning over.

INTO Districts meeting to organise

As part of the INTO Pre-Budget Campaign, 'Valuing Education', the four Dublin District are conveying a meeting this Wednesday 17th October at 7pm in Room 6 of the Teacher's Club.

 

At a preliminary meeting last week, a representative group from all four Dublin Districts group found that two common strands emerged as areas of concern; being 1. Attacks on NQTs and 2. The Pupil Teacher Ratio.

In reaction to these concerns and in the same vain as the INTO 'Valuing Education', the assembled group decided to further the campaign. They promised to organise as many staff members as possible, engage NQTs and students in the process of campaigning, conduct a lobby of TDs, spread information throughout schools and aim for a crowd of 4,000 from the Dublin District combined.

In light of the organisation required, and the planning needed, another organising meeting has been called for this Wednesday, 17th October at 7pm in Room 6 of the Teachers' Club, Parnell Sq. in order to assess progress, and plan the day itself.

All are welcome, and as many views as possible are needed to make this rally at Dáil Éireann on the 24th of October from 4.30pm tp 6pm, one rally that Ministers and the Government will not forget as they make their budgetary decision, aiming to save €77m from an Education Budget that cannot shed any more weight without it impeding the progress of all of our children.

Further details of the protest can be found at www.into.ie/ROI

Campaign set in motion by meeting

Last night, 3rd October, saw a large gathering of INTO members, NQTs and current teachers in opposition to allowance and pay cuts.

The meeting was very well attended, with at least 30 new graduates, joined by recent teachers and current teachers numbering 40, in a discussion on the recent pay cuts and allowance adjustments to new entrants and new beneficiaries.

The meeting was addressed by INTO General Secretary Sheila Nunan, CEC (INTO Central Executive) Reps from District 14 and 15 (Pat Crowe and Fergal Brougham) and UNITE Union Economist Michael Taft.

The feeling of disallusionment was clear, with a flavour of anger at recent cuts to NQTs. However, the trend leaned towards a desire to change the circumstances new entrants find themselves in. This anger was transformed by those present into energy for a campaign.

The INTO have fixed Wednesday 24th of October as a date for a protest. It will take place on Molesworth St. outside Dáil Éireann from 4.30pm throughout the evening.

The protest and rally will focus on how education needs to be protected in the upcoming Budget. With the Goverment looking ot save €77m, the INTO plans to gather in numbers to outline how the pupil teacher ratio, new entrants pay and job creation are not up for grabs.

Within the next few years 30,000 new primary school children will pass through schools all over the country. There school teachers need to be qualified, paid fairly, and the class sizes cannot be bloated.
With every rise of one point in the Pupil Teacher Ratio, 300 primary school teaching positions are lost, and children are forced to be in larger classess, which will ultimately hinder their education.

INTO Members all over the country must grab this campaign to protect education. We have a responsability to protect what we all know is the key economic resource of our country as we attempt to return to growth, that is, a highly educated society, which starts in our primary schools and early childhood education.

NQTs need to react strongly at these Meetings

In reaction to a Department of Public Expenditure and Reform review of allowances, a string of allowances were abolished and pay reductions were made.

The INTO has organised nationwide meetings with NQTs. These meetings will be vital to the response in the protection of new entrant pay. Attendance at the meetings will be the sign of a fightback and and an intension to resist further pay slashes, already mounting up to 27.06%.

INTO District 14 and 15 will host a joint meeting on Wednesday 3rd of October at 7pm. This will provide a chance, with Michael Taft (UNITE Economist) as guest speaker to discuss alternatives.

Other Nationwide meetings can be found here
We encourage any NQTs to attend the meetings, have their voice heard and hear the supportive voices of other. It will be our collective oppostion that will form a fightback and a drive to say 'No More'. Enough is certainly enough and the message needs to be sent loud and clear that NQTs have sucked up more than enough of the pain.

The meetings will provide an opportunity to form a strategy against the Government's tactics of dismantling the integrity of teachers' pay. The INTO Leadership need to hear the opinions of their members, and more importantly need to hear the voices of their newest and most vulnerable members. With a strong NQT body in attendance the signal will be clear that something has to be done.