The Minister for Children says the ASTI need to step back and rethink their position on the Haddington Road agreement.

ASTI members who are to embark on industrial action from next Tuesday. It means they will not co-operate with the new Junior Certificate cycle and will not hold meetings outside school hours.

They have been warned that the benefits of protection from compulsory redundancy could be taken from them.

The Education Minister last night warned teachers belonging to the ASTI that their jobs are at risk after rejecting Haddington Road. Ruairi Quinn says the teachers and their union need to "press the pause button".

"The decision by ASTI to remain outside the HRA and to withdraw from existing commitments means that the protection and the benefits of the agreement - including those in relation to security of tenure of employment - are not any longer available to their members" he said.

He suggested that this underlines "a strong case for a reconsideration by ASTI" of the situation.

The financial emergency legislation was introduced by government during the summer. It will now be applied to members of the ASTI which will see them impacted by harsher cuts than under the new agreement.

It allows the government to impose pay cuts on higher earners, suspend increments and to alter the terms and conditions of employment for public service groups that do not sign up to the agreement.

While speaking to Breakfast here on Newstalk, the Children's Minister Francis Fitzgerald says the actions of the ASTI will not get them anywhere.