Delegates at the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) annual conference in Co Wexford passed a motion which seeks to alleviate “work intensification”.
Teachers speaking at the conference say they are facing ever-increasing demands, losing out on family time as a result of workload, and are working in an environment that “threatens the health, well-being and professional capacity of members”.
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Concerns were also raised that Leaving Cert reforms – which are currently due to be implemented in September – will also have a negative effect and lead to extra work.
Noel Cronin, from Co Tipperary, said teachers’ “morale is being eroded” and they are “stretched to the limit”.
The motion calls for teachers to have a maximum of 20 hours in class per week and no more than 20 students per class.
Mr Cronin said teachers are being “pushed out of the profession” and this motion will allow teachers to give all students the “attention they deserve”.
Delegates said there is a lack of recognition “for the hidden and additional workload that members undertake”.
There was criticism of “excessive bureaucratic and administrative demands, which amount to unnecessary empty work”.
TUI general secretary Michael Gillespie said an unsustainable workload is driving teachers from the profession.
“Excessive workload and work intensification are breaking our profession,” he said.
“Across every sector of education, our members repeatedly raise the alarm: there is an ever-increasing workload and never enough time. When time disappears, work intensification takes its place—this spiral is unsustainable. And it is not just about paperwork. It is becoming a serious health and well-being crisis. Let us call it what it is: burnout and the burnout is real and impacting our profession.”
Mr Gillespie said teachers are being asked to carry out work that goes “far beyond” contracted class contact time.
“We are accumulating a workload that is unfair, excessive, and quite frankly, unmanageable,” he said.
A recent study by DCU found that 42pc of teachers are likely to leave the profession due to “crippling burnout”. Eighty-six per cent reported moderate to high levels of personal burnout.
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