The Teachers' Union of Ireland says second level teachers should start their career on the third point of the pay scale.
The union says higher salaries are needed to recognise length of time it takes to train and qualify to teach at second level.
The TUI also says its members will forgo their one-percent pay increase this year, to allow younger teachers who came into the profession after 2011 to achieve pay parity.
The Education Minister Norma Foley, will address the union's conference in Wexford later today.
Meanwhile,
500 delegates are attending the ASTI conference which is being held in the city
The Union has been debating motions on the cost of living, pension entitlement, Leaving cert reform and pay
Speaking to RedFM News, former ASTI President Ann Piggott says the recruitment and retention crisis is having a serious impact on schools
"People are going abroad to teach in a lot of cases. They have been going to Dubai for quite a few years now, and they get steady employment, and they get good pay, and then other people are leaving the profession. So it's very hard to get teachers, such as Home Economics teachers, maths teachers, science teachers, language teachers - because they have other options available to them. So schools are suffering"
