The Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) today announced that its members at third level have voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action, up to and including strike action, over non-adherence by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) and institute management to a collective agreement concerning the establishment of technological universities.
92% of members polled in the ballot voted to take industrial action as directed by the Union’s Executive Committee.
The TUI has said that there can be no regional variations in pay or conditions in the sector, in which it represents 4,600 academic staff.
The Union has urged the Department to engage meaningfully on the issues of concern.
Speaking today, TUI President David Waters said:
‘The strong mandate given back to the Union by members at third level shows the depth of feeling on this critical issue.
There must be parity of esteem across the technological university (TU) sector and any regional variations in pay or conditions are completely unacceptable to us.
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.
In 2017, TUI members at third level voted in a national ballot to accept a collective agreement concerning the establishment of TUs. Regrettably, DFHERIS and management have not adhered to this collective agreement, deliberately and consistently frustrating the proper functioning of the industrial relations fora at third level, including the National Negotiation Forum (NNF).
We have already described the Department’s approach as 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.
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.’