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ACADEMIC STAFF HAVE voted in favour of industrial action a dispute in technological universities.
The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI), which represents a total of 4,600 academic staff, announced today that 92% of members polled in a ballot have voted in favour of taking industrial action, up to and including a strike.
The dispute centres around pay and working conditions at technological universities around the country and a collective agreement concerning the functioning of the institutions.
The union says that the Department of Further and Higher Education and institute management have not kept to an agreement made in 2017 around the establishment of technological universities, which replaced institutes of technologies.
TUI President David Waters has said that regional variations in pay and conditions across technological universities are unacceptable to the union.
He said the outcome of the vote “shows the depth of feeling on this critical issue”.
“The TU sector must continue to have nationally agreed terms and conditions for all the grades represented by the TUI and for any proposed new grades within the scope of the union,” he said.
He accused the department’s approach of being an “attempt to dismantle the sector (which is protected by the agreement) and to force through a desire to have each TU free to operate separately, without regard or recourse to national negotiation”.
“The agreement provided for retention of the sector – previously the Institute of Technology sector and thenceforth the Technological University sector – and for prior meaningful communication, consultation and, where appropriate, negotiation with the TUI on relevant matters. It also specifically provides for a national review of lecturing,” Waters said.
“The TUI has a proven track record, negotiating at national level, in establishing and protecting the terms and conditions for members in the higher education institutions in our sector. Our members accepted the 2017 agreement in good faith in a national ballot.
“Options open to the Union will be assessed by the Executive Committee, and in the meantime we urge DFHERIS to engage meaningfully with us on these key issues.”
The Department of Further and Higher Education has previously said it does not accept it has breached any agreement and that it has engaged with the TUI on the reform of the TU sector.
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Interesting how we can’t comment on the Ryanair article about them bulk buying a housing estate….
@Dave Murray: It’s a good idea though. Those cabin crew won’t be competing against others in the rental market. Saw the Soc Dem guy having a whinge about availability of new homes, but 25 houses is a drop in the ocean of the houses currently being built.
@Roy Kenneally: Good business by ryanair, they’re not the only ones doing this and more will follow.
@Roy Kenneally: I assume you’re not currently looking to buy in Swords.
@Jen McC: are you saying you would have been able to buy in swords if ryanair hadn’t bought housing for staff? Ryanair aren’t the enemy here.
@Martin Mongan: Ryanair should deal with hotels
Dear Journal,
Can you remove the begging pop up from your website. It’s cheap and unprofessional. Is this what you have become. Goodbye and keep up the tripe journalism
Frank Spencer pictured above will sort it out!
A no blame approach to covid enquiry…this government..innocent until proven innocent. What an absolute joke!
The covid 19 inquiry is going to take a no blame approach,where would you see it only Ireland a total fu c k up but none of the boys to blame, first one of blame holohan Codding all the people into taken them mad vaccines that were never tested properly
The management at these ‘universities’ are a self serving bunch.
The ATU in Galway being a prime example.
The admin staff treat the students and lecturers like dirt.
have your say