Incoming Kilkenny based President of INTO says teacher unions want to present a united front and will consider strike action

A joint motion will be filed at the country’s three teacher union conferences today, which would potentially see them take strike action over the change to the vaccine priority list.

Teachers had been due to receive vaccines as essential workers but the list was changed to an age-based model, with the HSE saying it would help speed the roll-out up.

Any industrial action is unlikely to affect the return of schools from the Easter break next week.

Education Minister Norma Foley yesterday told the INTO that last week’s change in policy was based on the scientific and medical advice that vaccinating by age would save more lives.

That organisation sees Kilkenny Principal Joe McKeown take office as its new President later today.

He’s been telling KCLR that the three unions want to present a united front and will consider a strike if the government doesn’t give them what they want.

Listen back to his conversation with our Sue Nunn on last evening’s The Way It Is here: