Why join?
Join more than 20,200 second-level teachers shaping the future of teaching and education.
ASTI membership is available to qualified second-level teachers working in recognised second-level schools.
What we do:
- We stand up for teachers’ professional status.
- We provide advice, support and legal representation as needed.
- We fight to protect your working conditions and professional integrity.
- We have negotiated a range of financial offers for you.
- We consult with you through surveys, ballots and our representative network.
- We bring you the latest news about your profession through our web, social media, publications, emails and texts.
- We provide training.
- We achieved 2-year CIDs.
- We took strike action to advance equal pay for post 2010 entrants to teaching.
- We are the only union working exclusively for second-level teachers.
How much does it cost?
- We calculate your membership fees depending on your salary and teaching hours.
- First year of union membership free. (subject to criteria)
Subscription rates for Department of Education and Youth / ETBI paid teachers
In general, subscription rates amount to .76% of your yearly salary:
- A member receiving a basic salary of €42,990 (gross basic salary) pays .76% of salary, amounting to €326.72 p.a. or approx. €12.53 per fortnight.
- Any member receiving a basic salary of over €59,343 has their subscription capped at 1.05% of 1st point of pre-2011 salary scale which currently (August 2025) amounts to €451 p.a. or approx. €17.30 per fortnight.
- Members on less than full teachers’ hours pay .76% of their pro-rata salary.
Subscription rates for school-paid teachers
| Contract Type | Payment due on Application | Annual Sub. 2025/2026 |
| Permanent/Temporary Whole Time | 1/4, 1/2 or full sub | €451 |
| CID 18 Hours or more | 1/4, 1/2 or full sub | €451 |
| CID 11 Hours or more | 1/4, 1/2 or full sub | Fraction of 22 hours (e.g. 11 hours is 11/22 = half subscription = €225.50 p.a. (August 2025) |
| CID Less than 11 hours | 1/4, 1/2 or full sub | Fraction of 22 hours (e.g. 11 hours is 11/22 = half subscription = €225.50 p.a. (August 2025) |
| Fixed Term 11 Hours or more | 1/4, 1/2 or full sub | Fraction of 22 hours (e.g. 11 hours is 11/22 = half subscription =€225.50 p.a. (August 2025) |
| Fixed Term Less than 11 hours | 1/4, 1/2 or full sub | Fraction of 22 hours (e.g. 11 hours is 11/22 = half subscription = €225.50 p.a. (August 2025) |
| Substitute Teacher | €50.85 | €50.85 |
Before You Apply
Department of Education and Youth paid teachers, ETBI paid teachers and school paid teachers
Before you begin the Join Online process, make sure you have the following to hand:
- Payroll number
- Teaching Council registration number
- Names of ASTI proposer and seconder (ideally your proposer and seconder will be from your local branch e.g. school colleagues)
- Membership numbers of proposer and seconder (this is not essential, but having these numbers helps us to process your application more quickly)
Student Teachers - For PME students or students in teacher training college/university
Before you begin your Join Online process, make sure you have the following to hand:
- Name of degree qualification
- Name of third-level institution & year of graduation
- Teaching practice- school name (if known)
Other Ways to Join
If you don’t want to join online you can download an application form and apply by post:
- Form for Department of Education / ETBI paid teacher
- Form for School Paid Teacher
- Form for Student Member - PME students or students in teacher training college/universities
