Covid19 Evaluation – Submission from Retired Teachers Association of Ireland.
Introduction
The Retired Teachers’ Association of Ireland (RTAI) is a vibrant and energetic fellowship of retired primary teachers. Founded in Dublin in the early 50’s it has grown to over 10,000 members organised in 32 branches throughout the 26 counties.
There are two key aspects to the work of the Association. Firstly, at national level there is a strong focus on looking after the interests of retired teachers in relation to pensions and other issues that impact on their welfare and wellbeing. Providing advice and services to individual members is central to this aspect of our work.
Secondly, at local level there is a strong social element to the Association that provides the opportunity for members to engage in a variety of activities and events but also provides an opportunity for members to remain in touch with former colleagues as part of a collegiate and supportive network. The title of our magazine Comhnasc, reflects the importance of remaining ‘connected’ in the culture of the Association.
The policies and direction of the RTAI are set by an Annual Delegate Convention. A twelve member National Executive Committee, comprising 11 retired teachers elected annually and the General Secretary oversee the activities of the Association on an ongoing basis.
The RTAI works closely with other kindred organisations and in particular values its relationship with the INTO.
The following passages outline the effects the pandemic had on the operation of the Association and the measures put in place to ensure the association continued to function during the pandemic and prepare to resume normal activities once permitted to do so.
2020/2021
The RTAI Annual Convention was held on March 3rd 2020 in Dublin. Over 136 delegates attended. Plans for Branch meetings and social activities for the rest of 2020 were well underway and eagerly awaited by many hundreds of members around the country.
That Annual Convention event, however, would prove to be the last “in-person” meeting of the year for the Association.
Once the seriousness of the threat posed by the Corona virus became apparent, the NEC undertook a risk assessment of the impact of a prolonged period of restrictions on the activities of the Association. The key objectives were to consider how best to:
- comply with all advices issued by government
- Prioritize the health and safety of members, particularly, as most members are in the over-70 cohort and/or were in the category of “vulnerable” people
- Support Branch Secretaries in relation to planning at local level
- Maintain the relevance of the Association to its members
- Continue to provide support and advice to individual members during periods of office closure; and
- Reactivate activities at local and national level once it is safe to do so.
The National Executive Committee (NEC) decided that as meetings and social events were off the agenda for the foreseeable future, other methods of communication would be developed.
It was agreed:
- That regular e-mail updates will be sent by the General Secretary to Branch Secretaries
- That consultations with Branch Secretaries will be led by Zoom
- That the frequency of the publication of the RTAI magazine Comhnasc to all members will be increased with a focus on health and Wellness
- That material would be provided to secretaries who wished to issue their own newsletter
- That a special RTAI Christmas card would be printed and issued to branches for local distribution.
In the initial Zoom consultation with Branch Secretaries, there was a consensus that any directive from the Executive in relation to suspension or resumption of activities should be clear, and that the practice across branches would be uniform.
The NEC, therefore, informed branches that all RTA activities that involve face-to-face meetings or gatherings whether indoor or outdoor should be suspended.
This decision was reviewed at subsequent National Executive meetings, but the suspension of face-to-face gatherings continued throughout 2020. This meant that the twice yearly branch meetings, held in May/June and November/December were cancelled. A Branch Secretary’s conference scheduled for September 2020 was also deferred.
The Executive Committee was keen that branches would be able to hold some limited form of AGM in 2020 and sought legal advice as to whether our rules could be applied with a degree of flexibility, due to the exceptional circumstances. Having considered the advice received the Executive Committee decided that for 2020 a branch could:
1) hold a virtual branch AGM provided the branch had the necessary IT capability expertise to give members a reasonable opportunity to participate or
2) delegate the business of the 2020 AGM to the Branch Committee/Branch Officers.
The advice confirmed that option 2 was a reasonable and proportionate adjustment to the RTAI rules in these unprecedented circumstances this adjustment would enable branches to hold an AGM in the 2020 calendar year, which would keep the business cycle of the Association on track.
The RTAI office closed on the 25th of March 2020 and remained closed continuously until the 10th of August 2020. Following a short re-opening, further restrictions were imposed when the Government instructed employees, not providing essential services to avoid travelling to work where possible, and confine attendance in the workplace to essential business only.
Between full and partial office closures, RTAI staff worked remotely for substantial periods of time. Throughout that period, a high level of service and availability to members was maintained and staff endeavored to keep any disruption to our service to a minimum. It was noted, however, that remote-working did present challenges in service delivery especially in keeping membership records up to date, and was a significant challenge when access to the office was restricted.
2021/2022
The COVID-19 pandemic continued to have a major impact on the activities of the Association throughout 2021. Once the seriousness of the threat posed by coronavirus became apparent in March 2020, all face to face gatherings were suspended until further notice.
While the decision to suspend face-to-face gatherings was subsequently reviewed at several online NEC meetings, the suspension remained in place for the first nine months of 2021. However, at its meeting of the 6th of September, the NEC considered the key dates set out in the Government’s strategy for easing restrictions.
On the 20th of September the limit of 15 participants permitted to attend outdoor gatherings was removed.
On the 20th of September, indoor activities with up to 100 participants were permitted, but with different arrangements applying to gatherings depending on the vaccination status of participants.
On the 22nd of October restrictions on indoor gatherings were removed and the requirement to establish the vaccination status of participations ended.
The NEC therefore decided to advise branches:
That RTAI outdoor activities could recommence with immediate effect, restricted to 15 participants until 20 September, but no limit on participation numbers thereafter.
That, although indoor meetings were permitted from 20th of September, branches should delay the resumption of indoor meetings and activities until 22 October, at which point all remaining restrictions including the requirement to produce a vaccination certificate are removed.
The Executive Committee decided to hold a Branch Secretary’s Conference at the Gresham Hotel, O’Connell St., Dublin on the 2nd of November 2021. The date was chosen in anticipation of all restrictions on indoor gatherings and hospitality being removed by then. In the interim, the Government decided that requirements to show a COVID vaccination certificate, when availing of indoor hospitality, which was due to cease on 22nd of October should be extended to February 2022.
At the Branch Secretary’s conference there was a keen sense of optimism and confidence that the branch AGM’s could proceed as planned. However, the optimism was short lived, due to an increase in the number of COVID cases with the emergence of a new variant.
Although the holding of indoor meetings continued to be permitted, public health advice was increasingly emphasizing that citizens should exercise personal caution and be selective about attendance at social events.
The NEC met on 16 November to consider the latest Government announcement and advised Branch Secretaries that, at this point, the schedule of branch AGM’s could proceed.
The executive fully understood there might be nervousness at some branches about proceeding with an indoor meetings. To ensure that no branch felt pressure to hold a face-to-face AGM, where the officers believe that it’s not prudent or appropriate to do so, where a branch decided not to have its normal AGM they were asked to proceed according to last year’s procedure, officers meeting on Zoom, and adopting the essential functions of the AGM by the committee.
The eventual outcome was that 18 branches proceeded with their in-person AGMs in the traditional format, but adapted to facilitate social distancing and the precautions advised by the NEC.
The meetings went well but with attendances running at approximately 60% of normal figures, which was expected. 14 branches chose not to proceed with their AGM in the usual format. Many of these branches had meetings scheduled for December, when the public health messaging was advising increased vigilance as Christmas approached. These branches did, however, hold restricted AGMs to conduct essential business.
On 21 of January 2022 the Government announced a further plan for easing COVID-19 restrictions with effect from 22 January 2022 this announcement provided, inter alia, that
- with effect from that date vaccination or recovery certificate were no longer required.
- Social distancing was no longer required in hospitality or other settings and restrictions on numbers attending indoor and outdoor events or activities no longer applied.
Following restrictions were to remain in place until 28 February 2022.
Requirements for a vaccination or recovery certificate to access international travel.
Face coverings to continue, where required, for example in shops and public transport.
This announcement by Government paved the way for full resumption of both indoor and outdoor or RTAI activities.
2022/2023
The association’s annual convention was held on the 6th of April 2022 and was attended by over 130 delegates from all branches of the RTAI.
The RTAI President ,chairing the proceedings, noted it was not only the first large gathering of members in over 2 years, but also marked the welcome re-booting of activities after an extended period of disruption.
The event was held in the Croke Park Conference Centre, and was chosen so that delegates would have confidence that all steps were taken to ensure the event was managed in a safe and comfortable manner.
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