Teachers take to the streets to highlight their pay claim. Photo: Arthur Carron

The Association of Secondary Teachers is recommending that their members reject the new public service pay agreement, they announced after a ballot was held this afternoon.

The ASTI's 180 member Executive Council voted no for the new pay deal, following claims that it does not address the lowers wages of teachers who have qualified since 2012.

Their 18,000 members are set to vote on the proposed agreement in the next few weeks and today the council voted 63 to 59 - with one abstention - to recommend that they reject it.

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ASTI President Ger Curtin said: "ASTI members have campaigned vigorously against the discriminatory treatment of recently qualified teachers in their pay.

"All ASTI members have taken strike action and lost pay in order to highlight this injustice.

"The proposed Public Service Agreement does not achieve equal pay during its lifetime and this is the main reason why ASTI members are being urged to reject it."

The Irish National Teachers' Organisation has already voted to reject the agreement and the Teachers union of Ireland is still voting on it.

Restoring equal pay for teachers would cost an estimated €70 milliion.

Education Minister Richard Bruton has said that the budget isn't there to meet the demands.

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