TUI's Special Delegate Conference takes place at the O' Reilly Hall, UCD on Saturday, 25th September.
In the light of the delay in issuing the Executive Motion for the Special Conference it has been decided to put back the latest time for submission of amendments to this motion from 5.00pm on Thursday 16th September to 9.00am on Friday 17th September. This will allow branches which choose to meet on Thursday, 16th September, to submit amendments and if they are submitted by 9.00am on the Friday morning they will be in time for consideration by the Standing Orders Committee which meets that day.
TUI has convened a special delegate conference to address the way forward in its dealing with the Public Service Agreement (Croke Park Agreement). At its Easter conference the union rejected the agreement and this was subsequently endorsed by the members in a ballot. The Union is prepared to engage with the Department of Education and Skills on the education sector provisions however as opposed to have the provisions of the deal imposed unilaterally on teachers. The union will seek by negotiation to retain the existing terms and conditions of teachers as well as to maintain the current education service. The union has committed that whatever emerges from any discussions will be put to a ballot of its members for approval.
The General Secretary stated that the executive is of the view that this course of action, of engaging with the Department of Education and Skills will give the best chance of reducing the effects of the Croke Park agreement. Not engaging in these discussions would inevitably lead to a worse situation whereby Government would impose the worst of the proposals on the members of the union. Engagement does not in any way imply acceptance of the agreement or of its provisions.
In relation to the forthcoming Special Delegate Conference on the Public Service Agreement which has been called for Saturday, 25th September, 2010, the Executive Committee of TUI has now formulated a motion for this conference as follows:
“This Conference reaffirms the TUI’s opposition to the Public Service Agreement.
This Conference instructs the Executive Committee to maximise co-operation with other unions opposed to the Public Service Agreement.
This Conference instructs the Executive Committee to maintain the current Directives until and unless our members agree to a settlement of the related grievances.
This Conference directs the Executive Committee to negotiate to maintain current conditions of service of TUI members and to protect the education service. Such negotiations to be held through the C&A Scheme/IOT IR Forum.
This engagement is not an acceptance of the Public Service Agreement.
The result to be put to a Special Congress for consideration before being put to a ballot of the appropriate members.
Further the Executive Committee is instructed to prepare a contingency plan to deal with any attempt to unilaterally impose the Public Service Agreement through circular letters.”
As previously indicated, branches may submit amendments to this motion; amendments to reach TUI head office no later than 5.00pm on Thursday, 16th September.