IMPACT staff met with a number of senior officials from the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) last month to discuss co-operation and opportunities for future collaboration.

IMPACT deputy general secretary Kevin Callinan said the unions had outlined their internal structures and explored some challenges currently facing members in education. “We looked at a range of issues including possible joint initiatives on recruitment and the potential for developing training courses with inputs from both unions,” he said.

Kevin said the initiative would help build a better understanding and working relationship between the two unions. “It should make us better able to organise and represent members in schools. Both unions fully support the objective that all workers in the school system should be in a union, regardless of the role they perform,” he said.

The unions will meet again early next year.