C.I.D's and Pro-Rate

jellybeans

Hiya I was wondering when eligibility comes up for a C.I.D. is it based on your EPT years or is it the amount of years you're in the system? say if your deputising for one year and EPT for 2 is that 3 years or 2 when considering a person for a C.I.D.?

implausible

You have to count up the hours per year you clocked up when EPT (PRPT). Think it has to be over a certain amount before it counts as a year for C.I.D. purposes.

Open to correction though...

jellybeans

so the year deputising is not taken into account? I know about the C.I.D. being based on the hours you worked in the fourth year ie. the year before the C.I.D. but I didn't know whether I was due to get a C.I.D after the term 2009/2010 or 2010/2011, if the year deputising is not taken then I will get it having been in the system for 5 years, do you know? I can't find it on the web anywhere

implausible

Deputising? Do you mean doing someone else's full hours? It should count, unless the person was out on career break or seconded. However, some schools/VECs might give some leeway on this.

jellybeans

ye the other teacher took a year off to spend time with her kids. Im just not sure whether the first year will count and obviously if it does then the hours I have (if any with this new teachers cap) this April will count for term 09/10 and my CID. Im also wondering what my chaces will be of keeping my job, obviously with this new cap Ive a better chance of keeping my job if Im going into my CID next academic year. Im hoping the first year I deputised will count but I dont think it does

jellybeans

apologies for going off topic but I can't seem to get an answer to this question anywhere, I was wondering when eligibility comes up for a C.I.D. is it based on your EPT years or is it the amount of years you're in the system? say if your deputising for one year and EPT for 2 is that 3 years or 2 when considering a person for a C.I.D.?

Toto Wolfcastle

Post moved to existing thread.

implausible

Have you asked your principal or union rep? Technically, covering a leave of absence doesn't count towards your years:


http://www.tui.ie/Fixed_Term_ContractsContracts_of_Indefinite_Duration/Default.171.html

jellybeans

ye thats why Im confused because according to the teachers in my school the TUI guy the other day said it's the amount of years you have been in the system?? Im so confused because I know it says everywhere else that only EPT years count. I can't get a reply from head office or the TUI themselves :mad:

rainbowtrout

jellybeans wrote: »

ye thats why Im confused because according to the teachers in my school the TUI guy the other day said it's the amount of years you have been in the system?? Im so confused because I know it says everywhere else that only EPT years count. I can't get a reply from head office or the TUI themselves :mad:

From what I understand from the EPTs in my school is that you get a CID if you are working in a school 4 years on contract with a minimum number of hours (don't know how many) and years in another school do not count. I think though if you are working in a VEC and transfer to another school within the same VEC all those years count as you are working for the same employer. Also I think you have to have at least 18 hours on your 4th year of contract to be eligible for CID at the start of your fifth year. There are two teachers due to get CIDs in my school this year and one just has the 18 hours this year

implausible

OP, why don't you contact your VEC and see what the story is? Your rep is wrong, it's not your years in the system, unless the VEC want to do you a major favour. You need confirmation from the VEC; after all it's they who will be offering the C.I.D.

Rainbow, I think you can still get a C.I.D. for less than 18 hours, but they are phasing them out.

rainbowtrout

deemark wrote: »

Rainbow, I think you can still get a C.I.D. for less than 18 hours, but they are phasing them out.

you're probably right, i'm not too familiar with the ins and outs of CID, i'm one of the lucky permanent people

implausible

I was one of the lucky ones, but am back down at the bottom of the ladder again, clocking up years for a C.I.D. Years in one VEC count for nothing in another:mad:

rainbowtrout

deemark wrote: »

I was one of the lucky ones, but am back down at the bottom of the ladder again, clocking up years for a C.I.D. Years in one VEC count for nothing in another:mad:

there's a teacher like that in my school. gave up a permanent job to move to my school as an EPT because it was closer to home, it's looking likely that she will be one of the ones to lose her job this summer, she's only here two years.

ulysses32

People here seem to know a lot about CID contracts. I currently have a CID contract on full hours and have had since the inception of the FTW Act.
Is this contract a permanent contract under a new name or should I still be looking for permanent vacancies?

rainbowtrout

ulysses32 wrote: »

People here seem to know a lot about CID contracts. I currently have a CID contract on full hours and have had since the inception of the FTW Act.
Is this contract a permanent contract under a new name or should I still be looking for permanent vacancies?

No it's not permanent, four CIDs were made permanent in my school last year and had to go through the interview process which was a formality but their jobs still had to be advertised.


I suppose it's a bit like the temporary whole time contract that used to exist. Guaranteed you a minimum number of hours but not permanency, unlike EPT which only lasts from year to year.

implausible

rainbowtrout wrote: »

No it's not permanent, four CIDs were made permanent in my school last year and had to go through the interview process which was a formality but their jobs still had to be advertised.

That's not my understanding of it. PRPT people in my present and past school were automatically converted to CIDs this year and there is no question of interviews - perhaps it varies from VEC to VEC? What I can see, the word 'permanency' has just disappeared! TUI position is that CIDs are permanent contracts under a different name.

rainbowtrout

deemark wrote: »

That's not my understanding of it. PRPT people in my present and past school were automatically converted to CIDs this year and there is no question of interviews - perhaps it varies from VEC to VEC? What I can see, the word 'permanency' has just disappeared! TUI position is that CIDs are permanent contracts under a different name.

oh maybe i wasn't that clear, they got their CIDs automatically but 'Permanent' positions came up for their subjects last year when they were CIDs as in 'permanent, in it til retirement, can't lose your job, permanent' and because that was a change in the status of the position they had to re-interview, so now they are permanent on 22 hours. Our school has lost a number of permanent staff over the last 4-5 years due to retirements, hence the available positions.

implausible

But a C.I.D. is:

rainbowtrout wrote: »

'permanent, in it til retirement, can't lose your job, permanent'

The TUI has been hammering home this point for the last few years, that it's just semantics. I don't understand why the VEC re-interviewed. Mind you, any of the CIDs in our school went to people who had been in their positions for years and not replacing any one particular person.

Now I'm confused because in a few years I'll be in this position (I replaced a retiree and am full-hours PRPT for the last few years)

rainbowtrout

deemark wrote: »

But a C.I.D. is:



The TUI has been hammering home this point for the last few years, that it's just semantics. I don't understand why the VEC re-interviewed. Mind you, any of the CIDs in our school went to people who had been in their positions for years and not replacing any one particular person.

Now I'm confused because in a few years I'll be in this position (I replaced a retiree and am full-hours PRPT for the last few years)

Well Roscommon VEC have been known to make a few odd decisions in their time :pac:

I don't know why they made the distinction between CID and Permanent contracts, the only difference I can see is that on a CID while it is as good as permanent and it guarantees hours, it doesn't guarantee 22 hours unless that was your contract in the 4th year before you got the CID. A 'Permanent' contract does. And a person on a CID for 18 hours for the next 10 years will lose out a lot in the long run (financially0 in comparison to the person on Permanent contract for 22 hours. It's 18% less pay for a start so it's cheaper to have lots of teachers on 18 hour CIDs ( I know they're not all 18 hours) than on 22 hour Permanent contracts.


I'm not too familiar with the ins and outs of CIDs but what I took the meaning to be was 'the contract is of indefinite duration as long as the work exists' I could be wrong but would this not mean that if schools had a drastic drop in numbers or if the pupil teacher ratio rose (that would never happen!) that if all PRPT staff were let go then the next in line would be CIDs simply because the work didnt exist for them so under the definition of their contract they could be let go, where as permanent staff can't be let go, they would have to be redeployed to another school.

http://www.asti.ie/pdfs/Circulars/2006/CIDFixedAct102006.pdf

Meaning to be given to a Contract of Indefinite Duration
A person who has an expectation that, subject to the normal date of retirement in the employment, she or he will be retained in the employment and will not be dismissed without there being any good reason such as misconduct or unfitness for their position, or other compelling or unavoidable circumstances. Any dismissal shall be achieved by the application of the agreed termination arrangements for the particular sector or the application of the relevant statute, as the case may be (as per the Transitional Agreement of September 2005 – Circular Letter PPT14/05).

I'm wondering would those 'unavoidable circumstances' be something like the scenario i've outlined above? Not trying to scaremonger but just curious now that I'm aware other schools/VECs don't operate like mine

Are you on a CID deemark?

implausible

rainbowtrout wrote: »

what I took the meaning to be was 'the contract is of indefinite duration as long as the work exists' I could be wrong but would this not mean that if schools had a drastic drop in numbers or if the pupil teacher ratio rose (that would never happen!) that if all PRPT staff were let go then the next in line would be CIDs simply because the work didnt exist for them so under the definition of their contract they could be let go, where as permanent staff can't be let go, they would have to be redeployed to another school.

Are you on a CID deemark?

I'd agree with the idea that in the worse-case scenario the CIDs would go before the PWTs, but from what I can see from my experience in 2 VECs, no permanent contracts have been given out, it has been all CIDs. It seems as if they are using the Fixed Term Act as an excuse for extended probation i.e. make you do 4 years and then they give you a CID. The phrase 'permanent' has disappeared.

As for the 18 hours, I know plenty of people on 22hour CIDs. At the last union meeting, we were told that VECs are being encouraged to timetable 18+ hours staff up to 22 hours i.e. if taken on, you should be either on a 22 hour contract or a part-time one.

Alas, no CID...yet. 7 years permanent with one VEC and now in my 2nd year as PRPT in the lovely North-West. My position is fairly secure, it's the pointless waiting that's annoying me. Lucky I got my mortgage before I left:rolleyes:

rainbowtrout

deemark wrote: »

I'd agree with the idea that in the worse-case scenario the CIDs would go before the PWTs, but from what I can see from my experience in 2 VECs, no permanent contracts have been given out, it has been all CIDs. It seems as if they are using the Fixed Term Act as an excuse for extended probation i.e. make you do 4 years and then they give you a CID. The phrase 'permanent' has disappeared.

As for the 18 hours, I know plenty of people on 22hour CIDs. At the last union meeting, we were told that VECs are being encouraged to timetable 18+ hours staff up to 22 hours i.e. if taken on, you should be either on a 22 hour contract or a part-time one.

Alas, no CID...yet. 7 years permanent with one VEC and now in my 2nd year as PRPT in the lovely North-West. My position is fairly secure, it's the pointless waiting that's annoying me. Lucky I got my mortgage before I left:rolleyes:

You're not too far from me so! I think when the CIDs were given out a couple of years, at the time there were only 4 staff eligible for them, and as I've said they've since become permanent. Some of them had 22 hours but not all ( depending on hours available in their subjects), there are two teachers in my school this year on their fourth year so they should get their CIDs in September, I think one is around the 20 hour mark and the other is definitely 18... I don't really know what the policy is here regarding CIDs but I'm guessing with the cutbacks coming and there will probably be job losses in my school, the CIDs on less than 22 hours will probably find themselves with full timetables to make up for the loss of staff.

positivenote

guys sorry to 'cross threads' but im looking for some clarification on my position and some of you seem to know your CID from your Pro rata. Can i ask for some advice regarding my post here:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055478930

thanks

ulysses32

Thanks for clarifications regarding CID's.

Information from elsewhere has informed me that a CID is a permanent contract. A person on a CID cannot be treated any differently from what is known as a permanent contract, therefore we can infer that CID holders would not be let go before any other teacher. I assume redeployment would be the first port of call anyway?

The labour court does not recognise "permanency" and uses CID in place of it.

This does prompt the question regarding redeployment though, does anyone know anything about in the second- level sector?

rainbowtrout

ulysses32 wrote: »

Thanks for clarifications regarding CID's.

Information from elsewhere has informed me that a CID is a permanent contract. A person on a CID cannot be treated any differently from what is known as a permanent contract, therefore we can infer that CID holders would not be let go before any other teacher. I assume redeployment would be the first port of call anyway?

The labour court does not recognise "permanency" and uses CID in place of it.

This does prompt the question regarding redeployment though, does anyone know anything about in the second- level sector?

Redeployment within the VEC works in that the VEC have to find you a new position within 30 miles, but this is within 30 miles of the school not your home. Normally as far as I know they would look within their own schools first, but sometimes I think they will look to neighbouring VECs if they don't have a suitable position.


All the information you need on redeployment is here:

http://www.asti.ie/pdfs/Info%20Leaflets/RedeploymentSchemeSept2007.pdf

rainbowtrout

ulysses32 wrote: »

The labour court does not recognise "permanency" and uses CID in place of it.

I assume that's just in relation to people who have been awarded CIDs since they came in? My contract is 'permanent'. I'd like to see them say it's not!



The leaflet I linked to in the last post also uses the phrase

The scheme covers all qualified permanent and CID teachers in recognised second-level schools

so permanency does exist, at least for those on PWT contracts prior to the existence of CIDs

ulysses32

thanks Rainbowtrout,

Read the redeployment leaflet and it too refers to permanent and CID in the same breath. Wasn't casting any doubt on permanency.

Just seeking clarifications for myself as a teacher for twelve years in a DEIS school with falling numbers and further cutbacks expected.

Apparently, CID teachers must be treated in the exact same way as permanent staff and therefore the contract is permananent.

Reference to the Labour Court seems correct, they refer to contracts of indefinite duration instead of permanent contracts because many teachers, outside the VEC sector, do not have written contracts of employment.

rainbowtrout

ulysses32 wrote: »

Reference to the Labour Court seems correct, they refer to contracts of indefinite duration instead of permanent contracts because many teachers, outside the VEC sector, do not have written contracts of employment.

that's amazing considering they're government jobs

TheDriver

CIDs are a total grey area in that I hear so many different things from different people. From my understanding on BOM, a CID is your hours IF those hours are there for you i.e. if those hours dry up in the school then you are gone but someone else can't get them instead of you. Likewise, CID is only on actual hours and not discretionary hours such as resource and career break so you could be doing 20 hours but if only 6 are contracted and rest are resource, your CID is only for 6 hours. Unions have interpretation of the whole thing but its not permanent, just more permanent than temporary but still prefer permanent. I think its fair to say we could all be right or all be wrong but the defined rules are nowhere to be found, my VEC seemed to change their rules this year compared to last and discretion seems to be part of the course. They are messy because people don't know what the story is for sure and this thread seems to highlight that.
OP, Don't believe VECs etc because they will all give you a different story, get your union behind you on this one

ulysses32

Have done a little bit of digging on this issue today and it seems that CID and permanent contracts are the same in the eyes of the department.

circular 0055/2008 has provided much clarification.

"those on contracts of indefinite duration have effectively the same tenure rights as permanent teachers"

the circular also goes through the conversion process to permanent posts and in all of that CID are permanent.

Therefore it seems that CID and permanent are the same thing.

Gandalf23

I hate to upset the apple cart on this one ... but ... a good friend has a CID for the last 5 years, and he was told specifically and very clearly by the CEO of his VEC that if his school was to close he would NOT be re-deployed.

When he tried to clarify this he was told by the CEO that "if the school closes you will be out of a job ... we are not obliged to, and we WILL NOT re-deploy you".

He is not happy because he believed the line that a CID is the same as a permanent contract.

Anyone on a CID should be worried ... it is not the same as a permanent contract. And we have that directly from the mouth of the CEO of one of the biggest VEC's in the country.

ulysses32

ulysses32 wrote: »

Have done a little bit of digging on this issue today and it seems that CID and permanent contracts are the same in the eyes of the department.

circular 0055/2008 has provided much clarification.

"those on contracts of indefinite duration have effectively the same tenure rights as permanent teachers"

the circular also goes through the conversion process to permanent posts and in all of that CID are permanent.

Therefore it seems that CID and permanent are the same thing.

I think that CEO needs to read his/her circulars, as I said, the situation is made very clear in Circular 0055/2008. I am assuming that CEOs of VECs are still beholden to such department circulars. It might be worth bringing this one to his/ her attention.

http://www.asti.ie/pdfs/Info%20Leaflets/RedeploymentSchemeSept2007.pdf

The above link provides clarification in terms of school closure, where again permanent and CID are treated exactly the same.

If one needs even further clarification then visit the Labour Court website where there are several examples of CID contracts from a wide variety of sectors including education and health where a CID contract was upheld as the same as a permanent contract.

I would be interested to know how said VEC CEO seems to be working outside of the guidelines set out by his/ her superiors in the department and outside of national employment legislation. He/ she might not want to recognise the rights of teachers but he/ she might have to when push comes to shove!!!

rainbowtrout

ulysses32 wrote: »

I think that CEO needs to read his/her circulars, as I said, the situation is made very clear in Circular 0055/2008. I am assuming that CEOs of VECs are still beholden to such department circulars. It might be worth bringing this one to his/ her attention.

I mentioned the same thing in a previous post (post 20). Although CIDs are taken to be the same as permanent, it does say that in unavoidable circumstances a teacher may lose their job. A school closing down would probably come under unavoidable circumstances. A permanent teacher is protected by redeployment.

I accept that CIDs are seen as the same as permanency but that line leaves me unconvinced that they are the exact same. If CIDs are the same as permanency why can people get CIDs for less than 22 hours? Realistically it just seems to be another name for temporary wholetime.

Gandalf23

ulysses32 wrote: »

If one needs even further clarification then visit the Labour Court website where there are several examples of CID contracts from a wide variety of sectors including education and health where a CID contract was upheld as the same as a permanent contract.

Do you have a link?

Gandalf23

rainbowtrout wrote: »

I mentioned the same thing in a previous post (post 20). Although CIDs are taken to be the same as permanent, it does say that in unavoidable circumstances a teacher may lose their job. A school closing down would probably come under unavoidable circumstances. A permanent teacher is protected by redeployment.

This is the bit that worries me. This has not been tested by law and in the courts (at least according to TUI).

The position of this particular VEC is that CID's will not be re-deployed.

rainbowtrout

Gandalf23 wrote: »

This is the bit that worries me. This has not been tested by law and in the courts (at least according to TUI).

The position of this particular VEC is that CID's will not be re-deployed.

I suppose it's not all that often that a second level school closes down, but that line does get them out of redeployment.

ulysses32

The above link refers to redeployment in instances of school closure and again CID and Permanent staff have the exact same entitlements, therefore the only possible way that a CID would net be redeployed is if the entire staff were not subject to redeployment.

www. labourcourt.ie and search CID.http://www.labourcourt.ie/labour/labour.nsf/lookuppagelink/HomeSearch


I would be interested to know how the above information flies with that particular VEC as it might stop a lot of the scaremongering and anxiety amongst teachers.

I am a CID teacher( not in the VEC sector) and the recent circulars have made things crystal clear.

CID is not TWT. Temporary is now called fixed term and CID is permanent.
Really- read the circular. You will see that CID teachers do not need to fill the next available permanent position because they are already permanent and that such permanent vacancies should be advertised to fixed term staff.

Some excerpts from circular 0055/ 2008:

"Based on the agreed definition of an employee on a contract of indefinite duration, those on contracts of indefinite duration have effectivel the same tenure rights as a permanent teacher"

"Where the combined number of permanent/CID teachers is less than the number of approved permanent posts ( expressed in wholetime equivalents), the filling of a permanent post may arise....... the employer shall apply the following options:
(a) offer a CID where an existing fixed-term teacher qualifies
(b) submit the vacancy for filling by redeployment

Therefore CID is permanent, as you can see above a CID is offered as a permanent contract

With regard to redeployment, this link is equally clear about the rights of CID holders being exactly the same as permanent teachers.
http://www.asti.ie/pdfs/Info%20Leafl...meSept2007.pdf

The reason why it has not been tested in the courts yet is because a case hasn't arisen. The department have made it clear of the equivalency therefore why would there be a case?

If it is ever tested then it might be the VEC being mentioned above that tests it but all arguments, legal and departmental point in favour of the CID worker.

Cases in the Labour Court contest the awarding of CIDs to fixed term workers. In these cases judgements have stated that CID is a permanent contract.
Similarly a CID cannot be treated differently to what is known as permanent. Therefore if a permanent teacher is entitled to redeployment then the CID teacher is entitled to redeployment.

"compelling or unavoidable circumstances" as per definition of CID is in the same sentence as "misconduct or unfitness" and therefore seems to refer to individual circumstances as opposed to sectoral or department decisions.

ulysses32

If a permanent teacher is protected by redeployment then a CID teacher is protected by redeployment. This is what equality of conditions means! If they were not then they would not be treated equally which is direct contravention of the relevant legislation( FTW Act 2003).

Gandalf23

Thanks for the excellent replies guys... really appreciated ... I'll pass on to my friend.

ulysses32 wrote: »

With regard to redeployment, this link is equally clear about the rights of CID holders being exactly the same as permanent teachers.
http://www.asti.ie/pdfs/Info%20Leafl...meSept2007.pdf

ulysses ... that link is broked ... do you have the correct link please?

positivenote

Hi Guys, can someone explain to me what exactly redeployment means and why/what circumstances it would be applied? im an AL in one of the IT's on a permanent contract..
Thanks

Bally8

I am completely stuck in a awkward situation with my CID. In my VEC part -time tutors were given CID's this year and last. I had been teaching an average of 14 hours a week for 6 years and was given a 14 hour CID. So now Im in the position of being pernament on a 2 day week! I had to accept it, I couldnt walk away from a pernament post as Im not a qualified teacher and would never get work in a regular secondary school.

The head of HR told us all at a meeting last year that with CIDs we are permanent and in case of centre closure we would go through the 3 Rs procedure- redeployment, retraining and the final step would be redundancy if all else failed.

Gandalf23

Bally8 wrote: »

I am completely stuck in a awkward situation with my CID. In my VEC part -time tutors were given CID's this year and last. I had been teaching an average of 14 hours a week for 6 years and was given a 14 hour CID. So now Im in the position of being pernament on a 2 day week! I had to accept it, I couldnt walk away from a pernament post as Im not a qualified teacher and would never get work in a regular secondary school.

The head of HR told us all at a meeting last year that with CIDs we are permanent and in case of centre closure we would go through the 3 Rs procedure- redeployment, retraining and the final step would be redundancy if all else failed.

What VEC are you in?

gaeilgegrinds

I really question whether redeployment will happen in our VEC, have been told horror stories about people being let go and quietened.

ulysses32

http://www.asti.ie/pdfs/Info%20Leaflets/RedeploymentSchemeSept2007.pdf

Try this link.

How do you mean quietened? Sounds quite sinister and conjures images of men in trenchcoats and trilby hats....

Godge

CIDs are the same as permanent staff and have the same rights as permanent staff. They get access therefore to the same entitlements in respect of redeployment.

However, and this is something that is only relevant now that the world has changed, the Supreme Court has previously ruled, in a case that was not widely reported, that anyone and that means anyone can be made redundant.

Traditionally, employers in the education sector got rid of the part-time and temporary staff when money got tight. Now that money is tight again and those staff have equal rights, how long before the first permanent teacher is made redundant?

ulysses32

Godge wrote: »

how long before the first permanent teacher is made redundant?

I didn't realise the first permanent teacher was still teaching!

Excuse the pedantry.

Can't see compulsory redundancy on the horizon in a country of increasing population. Can see redeployment becoming more common though.

positivenote

can someone explain to me the process involved in redeployment if it was to happen to a college lecturer?
thanks

Fredser

My understanding is that CIDs should be offered immediately after 4 years of continuous fixed term contracts (or pro ratas) regardless of how many hours per week were worked during these contracts.

I interpret this from the information provided at:
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/employment/employment-rights-and-conditions/contracts-of-employment/fixed-term-or-specified-purpose-contracts

Specifically this section:

Employees on a fixed-term contracts which commenced after the passing of the Act:
Where such an employee is employed by their employer (or associated employer) on two or more continuous fixed-term contracts, the aggregate (or combined) duration of those contracts may not exceed four years.

This official information does not mention hours per week and only mentions length of contracts.

Can anyone here demonstrate differently?

oldmillgal

jellybeans wrote: »

apologies for going off topic but I can't seem to get an answer to this question anywhere, I was wondering when eligibility comes up for a C.I.D. is it based on your EPT years or is it the amount of years you're in the system? say if your deputising for one year and EPT for 2 is that 3 years or 2 when considering a person for a C.I.D.?

In order to get a cid you must be teaching sustainable hours. Now that means the hours that are in your contract must be yours and not anoyone elses i.e. not part of career break, job sharing, mat leave etc. The hours must be your own and not come from hours belonging to another teacher.

Unsustainable hours also include resource hours etc. hope this helps

born2bwild

I'm in a VEC. In May 2009 my principal promised me that I would get a fixed term contract this year (10/11 is my fourth year in the school and I need fixed term to convert to CID at the start of 11/12, right?)
I open my contract the other day and there it is looking at me: 'Fixed Purpose' Again - fourth year in a row.
I am hitting the roof. Do I have any recourse? The principal promised fixed term and agrees that the promise was made as I recall. Principal is vague about what happened but there is something very fishy going on.
'It's not you' principal says cryptically, meaning I presume that other staff member(s) were prioritised somehow, someway?????
What are my options: legal route? Union seems as useless on this as it is on a lot of stuff recently.
Any advice, folks?

rainbowtrout

born2bwild wrote: »

I'm in a VEC. In May 2009 my principal promised me that I would get a fixed term contract this year (10/11 is my fourth year in the school and I need fixed term to convert to CID at the start of 11/12, right?)
I open my contract the other day and there it is looking at me: 'Fixed Purpose' Again - fourth year in a row.
I am hitting the roof. Do I have any recourse? The principal promised fixed term and agrees that the promise was made as I recall. Principal is vague about what happened but there is something very fishy going on.
'It's not you' principal says cryptically, meaning I presume that other staff member(s) were prioritised somehow, someway?????
What are my options: legal route? Union seems as useless on this as it is on a lot of stuff recently.
Any advice, folks?

What exactly does your 'Fixed Purpose' contract entail? How is it different from a Fixed Term contract? Do you get paid during the holidays? Are the hours your own?

I wouldn't be reliant on what the principal said. It's not in writing so it doesn't count. Also he's not the one giving out the contracts, the CEO is.

Why do you say the union is useless? Have you contacted them? Have you asked them to contact the VEC on your behalf to question your contract?

You haven't given enough information about your position for anyone to be able to advise you, but here is my take on it currently:

If you have been teaching in the school for four years without a break, the hours are all your own and this is your fourth year and you are contracted until August 2011 then you should be entitled to a CID in the 11/12 academic year. If they have paid you for work for four consecutive years that in itself constitutes a contract between you and the VEC, regardless of what the paper contract says. I am working off the assumption that those contracts run from Sept - August each year.

Perhaps if you could clarify the points above it would be easier to see what your position is.