Experienced teachers say it is unfair to accuse them of abandoning junior colleagues in pay negotiations.
President of the ASTI union, Breda Lynch, claims senior teachers fought as hard as they could when wages were cut for new recruits during the recession.
The latest figures show a teacher starting their career today will earn on average €100,000 less than one hired before 2010.
However, Breda Lynch says that is not because older teachers did not do their best in pay negotiations.
"I was an active member of the ASTI at that time and we certainly made plenty of noise. We have taken action for our younger members," she said.
"I think it's important to state the ASTI members who took industrial action suffered financially and most of them were not affected.
"The majority of the people who were taking that industrial action were doing it in solidarity."
Digital Desk
