At a special meeting this morning, the Executive Committee of the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) voted unanimously to ballot its members at third level for industrial action, up to and including strike action, over non-adherence by management to a collective agreement concerning the establishment of Technological Universities.
TUI has 4,600 members in the Technological University/Institute of Technology sector.
The ballot will commence next week.
Speaking today, TUI President David Waters said:
‘In 2017, TUI members at third level voted in a national ballot to accept a collective agreement concerning the establishment of Technological Universities (TUs).
The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (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).
The TUI sees this as a cynical 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.
There must be parity of esteem across the sector and in this regard any regional variations in terms of pay and conditions are unacceptable.
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. The TUI is determined that the TU sector will 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.
We are therefore balloting our members for industrial action, up to and including strike action over this unacceptable non-adherence to a collective agreement.’