The teacher unions hold their conferences this week, with most coverage focusing on cost-of-living and pay, in addition to work-related stress and recruitment and retention.

INTO general secretary John Boyle expected the union’s members will be balloted for industrial action in the coming weeks, as the union expressed anger over the blocking of agreed allowances. INTO delegates backed that call, while ASTI is to consider "calls for escalating industrial action in the autumn." 

Elsewhere, last week's coverage of the effect of rising fuel costs on commuters included comment by Fórsa, as ICTU president Phil Ní Sheaghdha told the INTO conference in Killarney yesterday that unions have sought a meeting of the Labour Employer Economic Forum (Leef) to consider the impact of the increased price of fuel and food, as well as inflation generally. 

The Irish Times also covered a claim by Fórsa on behalf of voluntary hospital chief executives just before the Easter weekend.

Your Zen this morning comes from inside the mind of a do-gooder.

Inside the Mind of a Do-Gooder is a story of a social worker caught between empowerment and disillusion, trying to keep faith with a social work that aspired to the 'empowerment and liberation of people' and a story of illusion, delusion and disillusion. 

It's written by former IMPACT member Patrick O'Dea and will be read by Phelim Drew next Monday (13th April) at 5pm the Gate Theatre as part of the Five Lamps Festival.

Have a great week.

NS