The Irish Federation of University Teachers
Comhairle....
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Preamble
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Latest edition of University World News available
4 September 2011
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The latest edition of University World News is available here.
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Previous editions of University World News are available from their archive page.
IFUT is not responsible for the content of external Websites.
IFUT seeks urgent meeting with Minister over UCC legal fees
23 August 2011|
IFUT is seeking an urgent meeting with the Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn, TD, to discuss plans by UCC to spend hundreds of thousands of euro of taxpayers' funds on a High Court appeal against a binding ruling governed by the Protection of Employees (Fixed-Term Work) Act, 2003. In a recent Determination, the Labour Court upheld a Rights Commissioner Decision that UCC should pay an IFUT member the amount of redundancy payment claimed by IFUT, statutory redundancy plus four weeks. UCC was represented in the Labour Court by one of the most expensive legal firms in Ireland at taxpayers' expense. IFUT is now advised that, incredibly, UCC has retained this expensive law firm and has embarked upon a very costly appeal to the High Court, allegedly "on a point of law". |
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IFUT General Secretary, Mike Jennings, says the Minister should intervene "to prevent the college squandering more than 20 times the payment due to a former employee on a spurious legal adventure which seems designed purely to defer the payment. This is not a case of IFUT seeking more money from government. Instead it is asking the Department of Education to step in to prevent a monumental waste of taxpayers' money".
The IFUT Media Release is available
here.
The Labour Court Determination (Number FTD1121), a letter from the General
Secretary to Council and Branch Secretaries, IFUT's letter to the Minister and
IFUT's letter to David Begg, ICTU General Secretary, requesting Congress support
for IFUT's position are all available
here.
IFUT mourns death of former President, Kader Asmal
24 June 2011
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IFUT has expressed its sorrow at the sudden death of Dr Kader Asmal, who served as President of IFUT from 1974 to 1975. Daltún Ó Ceallaigh, former General Secretary, who worked with Kader for many years, said: "It is with the deepest sadness that I learned of the death of my old friend and comrade of 37 years, Kader Asmal. He gave his life to the cause of freedom and it was wonderful that he lived to see a liberated South Africa". Anne Clune, a fellow former IFUT President, said: "Memories of Kader and IFUT are inextricably mingled in my mind. Kader always reminded us that there was more to a trade union than just protecting the interests of its members and that the principles of academic freedom and human rights could very easily be extinguished if not zealously guarded. He was truly an inspiration!". |
Mike Jennings, General Secretary, said that Dr Asmal had been a highly committed and inspirational member of IFUT for many years during his time in Ireland. "He emphasised the importance of academic freedom and human rights just as strongly as defending the general interest of our members. He will be fondly remembered by his former colleagues in Trinity College, Dublin as well as the many members of IFUT throughout the country who worked with, and were inspired by, him".
IFUT extends its sympathy to Dr Asmal's wife, Louise, his family and his many friends in Ireland and internationally.
The IFUT Media Release is available here.
The General Secretary invites any IFUT member who would like to share their personal memories of Kader with other members to contact him.
HEA Framework details vindicate third-level staff contribution and flexibility
21 June 2011|
IFUT has given a guarded welcome to the revised Employment Control Framework (ECF) for the Higher Education Sector, published by the Higher Education Authority today (Thursday, 21 June 2011). "Among the findings of the HEA are that staffing levels in third-level have declined by almost 1500 since 2009 while student numbers have increased by 15% in the same period", Mike Jennings, General Secretary, said. It should be noted that of around 3300 planned annual public sector staff cuts, almost half have been achieved in the third-level sector alone, he continued. |
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The IFUT Media Release is available here.
IFUT members vote to accept "Croke Park" after achieving significant and substantial clarifications
Following intensive negotiations conducted over recent months with the Department of Education and Skills, members of IFUT have voted decisively to accept the clarifications recommended to them by the Executive Committee.
"By their vote today, our members have indicated that the hard work put in by IFUT negotiators at national level has delivered a much less damaging and more tolerable set of proposals", said Mike Jennings, General Secretary.
"IFUT hopes that following this vote the focus will now shift to the massive productivity savings already given quite freely and generously by our members in recent years. The result is that we have a world-class system, which is providing higher education to more students than ever before in Ireland's history, and it is being provided with drastically reduced resources, including significant pay cuts."
The IFUT Media Release is available here.
IFUT appoints new Assistant General Secretary
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IFUT has appointed Ms Joan Donegan as Assistant General Secretary. Ms Donegan was previously employed as a Branch Organiser (Industrial Relations Official) with SIPTU. She is a qualified Mediator and has an MA from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth in Conflict Resolution Studies. In recent years she has also been actively involved in case work on behalf of Restorative Justice Services Ireland. Ms Donegan will be based in IFUT's Head Office, 11 Merrion Square, Dublin 2, where she will join the team of Mike Jennings, General Secretary, and Phyllis Russell, Office Manager. The IFUT Media Release is available here. |
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6,000 New Places for the Unemployed on Higher Education Courses
No Loss of Benefits for Those Who Take Up Places
The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairi Quinn, TD, has launched a new initiative, Springboard, that will provide 6000 new places on Higher Education programmes for unemployed people. The initiative is targeted at those who were previously working but lost their jobs or were made redundant and who, with some upskilling, could fill current or future job shortages.
Potential students will apply online though Bluebrick.ie, which is the central clearing system for part time courses. Further information on programmes is also available on Bluebrick.ie.
The IFUT News item is available here.
IFUT mourns the death of Founder Member, Dr Garret FitzGerald
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The death of Dr Garret FitzGerald will be mourned by his fellow members of the IFUT, the union of which he remained a full and committed member up to the time of his death. Dr FitzGerald was the only Taoiseach in Ireland's history who was concurrently a full member of a Congress-affiliated trade union. He was always proud of that fact as were, and are, all of his many friends in IFUT. |
Speaking of Dr FitzGerald, the General Secretary, Mike Jennings, said "The amazing thing about Garret was that, despite his monumental status as an Academic and Statesman, he was the easiest person in the world to talk to. IFUT is proud to say that he was one of our own. He will be sadly missed".
The Irish Federation of University Teachers extends its deepest sympathy to all of Dr FitzGerald's family and his many friends.
The IFUT Media Release is available here.
HEA Chairman 'losing touch with reality', says IFUT
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Commenting on remarks by the Chairman of the Higher Education Authority (HEA), John Hennessy, that changes to HR management practices would help improve the status and functioning of Irish universities, Mike Jennings, General Secretary of IFUT, said his remarks reveal the extent to which some persons in the HEA have lost touch with the realities of third-level education. |
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"Irish universities and academic staff have consistently delivered above-average outcomes for students, despite diminishing resources. Mr Hennessy now wishes to fix what isn't broken by imposing new and potentially damaging HR changes on top of ongoing staffing and wage cuts, at a time when ever-more students are enrolling at third-level. He should preferably reacquaint himself with the facts on higher education in Ireland before issuing such cavalier and unhelpful comments in future", Mr Jennings said.
The IFUT Media Release is available here.
Mr Hennessy's comments were reported in The Irish Times. The Irish Times also had a profile of Mr Hennessy on his appointment to the HEA.
New IFUT President announced
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Dr Marie Clarke, University College Dublin, has taken over as the new President of IFUT following the recent Annual Delegate Conference. Dr Clarke is currently Head of the School of Education in UCD and has been a member of IFUT Executive for a number of years. Her biography is available here. The IFUT Media Release is available here. |
Clarifications on the Public Service Agreement (the "Croke Park Agreement")
On Thursday, 5 May, the IFUT Executive met and was given a report by the General Secretary on the recent meetings between the IFUT negotiating team and representatives from the Department of Education and Skills, the Universities and the Irish Universities Association. This report and related documents are available here (Members only).
Update: 9 May: The General Secretary has written a detailed analysis of the clarifications; this is available here (Members only).
IFUT Annual Delegate Conference 2011
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A very successful Annual Delegate Conference took place in Dublin on
Saturday, 16 April last. Documentation is available on the
ADC 2011 page. Links to coverage in
the various media are also available there.
The slides that accompanied the speech to the ADC by Ulrich Teichler of the International Centre for Higher Education Research, Kassel University, Germany are available here. (New: Added on 22 April 2011) |
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Minister for Education must tackle breach of European and Irish law by universities, says IFUT
The Minister for Education, Ruairí Quinn, TD, should move to protect the rights of thousands of researchers, librarians and other staff who are being placed on temporary contracts by universities, in violation of European Directives and related legislation here in Ireland, the General Secretary of the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT), Mike Jennings, said in his address to the IFUT Annual Delegate Conference in Dublin on Saturday, 16 April last.
The General Secretary's sppech is available
here.
The IFUT Media Release on his speech is available
here.
Universities are 'fit for purpose', says IFUT President
Recent suggestions regarding the public service being 'not fit for purpose' do not apply to the universities and their academic staff; instead, levels of productivity are being increased amid income cuts of up to 25%, Dr Hugh Gibbons, President of the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT), stated in his address to the IFUT Annual Delegate Conference in Dublin on Saturday, 16 April last.
The President's sppech is available
here.
The IFUT Media Release on his speech is available
here.
IFUT disputes contention that Department of Education has 'lost patience' with the Federation
IFUT has received no ultimatum from the Department of Education threatening pay cuts unless the Croke Park Agreement is accepted.
Commenting on a report in The Irish Times on 4 March last, IFUT General Secretary, Mike Jennings, said there is no evidence whatever to support suggestions that the Department of Education has 'lost patience' with the Federation. "Rather, it has been IFUT that has expressed unease at the 'slow bicycle race' nature of the process and it would appear that other vested interests have adopted an approach of 'getting their retaliation in first'. In addition, IFUT wishes to clarify that it has not expressed criticism of NUIG proposals, as suggested in the article", Mike Jennings said.
The IFUT Media Release is available here.
Programme for Government 2011-2016
Copies of Government for National Recovery 2011-2016 are available in PDF format on the Websites of the two parties that will form the next Government, Fine Gael and Labour.
Some commentary on the Programme that has highlighted references in the document to Third-Level Education is available on the Ninth Level Ireland Website.
Reports on the Programme in Irish media are available here:
Reports on the Programme in foreign media are available here:
IFUT is not responsible for the content of external Websites.
IFUT response to Draft Plan on Literacy and Numeracy
IFUT has produced a response to the Draft Plan on Literacy and Numeracy. The response, written with the co-operation of IFUT Members in the Church of Ireland College of Education, Saint Patrick's College, Drumcondra and Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, is available here.
IFUT calls for clear commitment to Higher Education by election candidates
The Higher Education system is like a first-class, high-performing car that is running out of petrol and requires an immediate injection of funding and resources, IFUT said today in a message to all political parties and candidates in the General Election.
IFUT is not aligned to any political party but is urging its members to highlight the needs of the education system and to counteract misrepresentations of the people who work hard in the sector.
"IFUT will be pressing strongly for a commitment to adequate funding and facilities for Higher Education in the interests of our society and economy in any new Programme for Government following the General Election", Mike Jennings, IFUT General Secretary, said.
The IFUT Media Release is available here.
The General Election and Higher Education
The General Secretary has written a memorandum to members on the forthcoming General Election, suggesting some questions they might ask candidates and their representatives.
The General Secretary's memorandum is available here (Members only).
Statement from Congress on General Election Campaign
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has issued a statement on the General Election Campaign.
The Congress statement is available here (Members only).
An Ghaeilge san Ardteist
Sheol CÉMO ríomhphost chuig Enda Kenny, Ceannasaí Fhine Gael, faoin Ghaeilge san Ardteist.
Tá an ríomhphost le fáil anseo.
IFUT issues initial commentary on the National Strategy for Irish Higher Education ("The Hunt Report")
IFUT has issued an initial commentary on the National Strategy for Irish Higher Education ("The Hunt Report").
The IFUT Media Release is available here.
The Report itself is available on the Department of Education and Skills Website
here.
A summary of the Report is available in English
here.
Tá leagan Gaeilge den achoimre le fáil
anseo.
Problems with IFUT e-mail
We have discovered that there has been an intermittent issue with some e-mail messages sent from the Admin@ifut.ie and GeneralSecretary@ifut.ie e-mail accounts. Occasionally, e-mails were sent out a number of times. We believe that this problem has now been rectified and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.
An unrelated technical problem with our e-mail resulted in all e-mails sent to the IFUT e-mail addresses over last weekend being lost. E-mails sent to Admin@ifut.ie or GeneralSecretary@ifut.ie between 17:00 on Friday, 7 January and 11:00 on Monday, 10 January were NOT delivered and we have no record of the e-mails sent to these accounts during this time. We would ask anyone who sent an e-mail to re-send it. Again, we apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Christmas Holiday Arrangements
In accordance with our normal routine, IFUT Head Office will close at lunchtime on Thursday, 23 December 2010 and will re-open on Monday, 10 January 2011.
The General Secretary, Mike Jennings, has sent the following message to
Council Members, Branch Secretaries and Central Branch Convenors not on Council:
"I would like to wish every one one of you a very happy Christmas and a
peaceful New Year. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank each one
of you for all the effort that you have put in on a purely voluntary basis
serving the interests of your colleagues. It is much appreciated."
Join IFUT!
IFUT needs your support! Join IFUT now!
Information on IFUT is available here.
Tá eolas faoi CÉMO le fáil anseo.
An application form may be downloaded from here. You should print this out, complete it and send it to
the Membership Secretary at the address below.
Subscription rates are available here.
Address: IFUT, 11 Merrion Square, Dublin 2.
Telephone: (01) 661 0910
Reduction of Public Service Pensions
The debate on the legislation which will reduce Public Service Pensions (and the Minimum Wage) will take place on Thursday, 9 December and the vote will be on Friday, 10 December sometime between 11:00 and 13:00.
The General Secretary urges all IFUT members to make their views on this legislation known to their local Dáil and Seanad Éireann representatives.
The text of the bill is available here. An explanatory memorandum is available here. A list of all TDs on a constituency by constituency basis is available here.Contract Staff liable to enhanced redundancy following important legal precedents
Contract staff employed by Irish universities now seem certain to have their redundancy settlements trebled on foot of important legal advances secured by IFUT.
In one case, a Researcher in NUI Maynooth has been awarded four weeks pay per year of service (pys) on top of her statutory entitlement (two weeks pys) by the Labour Court, in a Determination that is binding on the University. The case was taken by IFUT. In two other cases in UCC, a Rights Commissioner awarded six weeks pay per year of service to two contract employees who had been made redundant following the expiry of their contracts.
The IFUT Press Release is available here.
Irish Congress of Trade Unions Pre-Budget Submission
The Pre-Budget Submission by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions is available
here.
A summary of the submission, together with other documents from ICTU, is
available here,
on the ICTU section of our Budget 2011 page (Members only).
IFUT responds to survey on salaries in Education
In response to the story of 9 November 2010 in The Irish Times on salaries in third-level education, IFUT says that of the more than 20 000 people that work in Higher Education, fewer than one third of 1% (0.3%) earn more than €150 000.
The cases shown in the story, of a small number of very highly paid staff, confirm issues raised by IFUT in 2008: that there were undisclosed pay arrangements for small numbers of senior personnel in the universities. At the time, IFUT condemned the decision by the HEA not to disclose the details of exceptionally high salaries paid to certain senior personnel in six of the seven universities under its remit, a situation exposed by IFUT only through Freedom of Information legislation. IFUT General Secretary, Mike Jennings said: "Looking at the list at the top 100 earners, one cannot help but be struck by the almost total absence of frontline educators. The list is almost exclusively made up of administrators, bureaucrats and managers.
"Imagine the frustration that will be felt by Assistant Lecturers (starting salary €33 623) or College Lecturers (€48 306) at the allegation that they are 'high flyers'.
"Such staff have already taken earnings cuts of approximately 20% while the numbers of students they teach has reached the highest levels in Irish history: up 15% in the past two years alone.
"Clearly anyone who aspires to be rich should not be looking for a job in education", Mike Jennings said.
The IFUT Press Release is available here.
A letter written to the newspaper by the General Secretary in response to the article was published two days later. The General Secretary's letter is available on The Irish Times Website. A PDF version is also available here.Browne's Gamble
In a recent essay in the London Review of Books, entitled Browne's Gamble, Stefan Collini reviews the Browne Report on the future of Higher Education in England (Securing a Sustainable Future for Higher Education: An Independent Review of Higher Education Funding and Student Finance by Lord Browne et al).
In his essay, Professor Collini states that
"Browne is contending that we should no longer think of higher education as
the provision of a public good, articulated through educational judgment and
largely financed by public funds (in recent years supplemented by a relatively
small fee element). Instead, we should think of it as a lightly regulated market
in which consumer demand, in the form of student choice, is sovereign in
determining what is offered by service providers (ie universities)".
Professor Collini concludes his essay by remarking:
"What is at stake here is not primarily the question of whether this or
that group of graduates will pay a little more or a little less towards the
costs of their education, even though that may seem (particularly to those in
marginal seats) to be the most potent element electorally. What is at stake is
whether universities in the future are to be thought of as having a public
cultural role partly sustained by public support, or whether we move further
towards redefining them in terms of a purely economistic calculation of value
and a wholly individualist conception of 'consumer satisfaction'."
Professor Collini's essay is available
here (London Review of Books, Volume 32, Number 21,
4 November 2010, pages 23-25).
The Browne Report is available
here.
Stefan Collini is a professor of English at Cambridge University. His most recent book is Common Reading: Critics, Historians, Publics.
Letter to all members re 'Croke Park Agreement'
The General Secretary has written to all members on the 'Croke Park Agreement',
pay cuts, compulsory redundancies and pensions.
The General Secretary's letter is available
here (Members only).
Narrowing of gender gap at higher level welcome but highlights increase in demand amid cuts in sector, says IFUT
IFUT has welcomed the increase in the percentage of male students enrolling for third-level education announced by the HEA today, but warned that it highlights ever-increasing pressure on staff and resources in third-level colleges.
Recent data show that the numbers of mature and international students, as well as the traditional school leaver enrolment numbers, are on the increase, while staffing levels, funding and resources are continually being pruned, said Mike Jennings, General Secretary of IFUT.
"This situation threatens the ability of our education system to respond effectively to students' teaching needs. The Government is jeopardising the very system that produced the graduates that helped Ireland emerge from the last recession of the 1980s. It is an approach that threatens, not just third-level education, but the ability of our economy to recover and prosper in the future", said Mr Jennings.
The IFUT Press Release is available here.
World Teachers' Day, 5 October 2010
Tuesday, 5 October 2010 is World Teachers' Day. World Teachers' Day, held annually on 5 October since 1994, commemorates the anniversary of the signing in 1966 of the UNESCO/ILO Recommendation Concerning the Status of Teachers. It is an occasion to celebrate the essential rôle of teachers in providing quality education at all levels and an occasion to celebrate the immense contribution made by the world's approximately 55 million teachers to their students, schools and societies.
In a joint statement today, the Presidents of the four Irish teacher unions state that investment in education is critical to sustainable economic recovery.
In their statement, they say: "The message is clear. Compromise education and you not only compromise the future life chances of an entire generation, you put economic recovery in jeopardy."
The Joint Statement from the Teacher Unions is available here.
Managerialism in Irish Universities
A recent article by Professor Steve Hedley, Faculty of Law, UCC in the Irish Journal of Legal Studies, entitled Managerialsim in Irish Universities, suggests a definition of the term managerialism, presents his research of managerialism in Irish university law and practice and sketches some of the implications for the management of Irish universities.
The article is available on the Irish Journal of Legal Studies Website. It is also available here.
Advice on avoiding prosecution for defamation or libel
Recently a case was taken to the High Court concerning an alleged libel in the Galway/Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT).
As the case was settled prior to the High Court Hearing it is not possible to be fully certain as to all of the facts. However, it does appear to be the case that one member of staff sued other members of staff and the GMIT because, it was alleged, documents which were circulated by these staff members were defamatory.
This case gives rise to serious concerns that academics could inadvertently be guilty of defamation if they circulated documents (for example, student feedback forms or other such items) which contained defamatory material.
Arising from these concerns IFUT wishes to pass on to members advice which has been given to us by our advising firm of solicitors. This advice is contained in a letter from the General Secretary, available here (Members only).
IFUT 2010 now available
The IFUT Annual Report for 2009-2010, IFUT 2010, is now available here.
IFUT ADC Resolutions 1968 - 2010
A classified compilation of all resolutions passed at IFUT Annual Delegate Conferences from 1968 to 2010 is now available here.
IFUT Rules
The Rules of the Federation, as amended to 24 April 2010 (ADC 2010), are available here.
IFUT's "utter astonishment" at threat of more funding cuts to universities
Redundancies not an option
IFUT has reacted with utter astonishment to the prospect of more funding cuts to universities as reported in The Irish Times today, 2 June 2010.
"I note that in a panic reaction to the prospect of more cuts, some university sources are allegedly considering redundancies for academic staff", said Mike Jennings, General Secretary of IFUT.
"I wish to state categorically that under no circumstances will IFUT agree to any compulsory job losses in the university sector", said Mr Jennings.
"At a time of unprecendented demand for higher education and at a time when we have record numbers of students in our universities, it beggars belief that the Department of Education could even be considering more cuts."
IFUT has called on the Minister for Education, Ms Mary Coughlan TD, to issue an immediate statement denying these reports.
The IFUT Press Release is available here.
IFUT rejects Croke Park proposals by two-to-one majority
IFUT members have rejected the "Croke Park Proposals" on pay and conditions for public servants. In the ballot, 67.68% of the membership voted 'No', while 32.32% voted in favour.
The General Secretary has written to all members, giving details of the result: his letter is available here (Members only).
The General Secretary said the vote "reflects the strong determination of our members not to have their job contracts put forward for binding arbitration.
"IFUT will be casting its vote against the proposals at the Public Service Committee of ICTU and will be seeking to ensure that the status quo remains in place. We are determined not to have the Croke Park proposals imposed on our members by a majority of other unions".
The IFUT Press Release on the result of the ballot is available here.
Too many universities, or too few?
Donncha Kavanagh, an IFUT member in UCC, has written a letter to The Irish Times under the title Too many universities, or too few?, which was published on 26 January last.
In his letter, Dr Kavanagh writes:
"Contrary to Peter Sutherland's opinion (Home News, January 23rd), there is
little to suggest that Ireland has too many universities. We have seven
universities for our population of 4.5 million, while Finland has 10
universities, six institutes with university status, and 28 polytechnics for its
population of 5.3 million. Sweden has 17 universities for its 9.3 million
people. Neither is there evidence that bigger universities are necessarily
better. For instance, the average number of students in the top 10 universities
in the world is only 16,700, which is smaller than the current number of
students in UCC (18,800)."
"Clarifications" of the 'Croke Park Proposals'
IFUT has received a copy of the "clarifications" on the 'Croke Park Proposals'. The clarifications document, together with the cover letter to Peter McLoone, Chairman of the Public Services Committee of ICTU, from Kieran Mulvey and Kevin Foley, Facilitators of the Croke Park negotiations, is available on our Webpage on the 'Croke Park Proposals' (Members only).
In a letter to members, IFUT General Secretary, Mike Jennings, writes:
"These "Clarifications" have been read and studied by the IFUT
Executive and there is unanimous agreement that they do not provide any basis
to revise our earlier strong recommendation for a rejection of the 'Croke Park
Proposals'.
I once again repeat that we are urging all members to vote to
reject the 'Croke Park Proposals'".
The letter from the General Secretary to members is available here (Members only).
For ease of reference, the Sectoral Agreement for the Universities and other Higher Education Institutes (taken from Page 11 of Sectoral Agreements document) is available here (Members only).
Reminder: Your ballot should be returned to IFUT Head Office by Monday, 24 May at the latest.
HEA candour welcome but misplaced, says IFUT
IFUT has welcomed the candour of the Chief Executive of the Higher Education Authority, who has warned higher education staff of plans to make fundamental changes to their contracts, to close courses in colleges and extend the academic year radically.
"A less candid man would not have been so open about cutback threats at a time when academics are voting on the 'Croke Park Proposals' which, if accepted, would give the Government a blank cheque to impose all of these things without any meaningful regard for the rights of staff", IFUT General Secretary, Mike Jennings, said. I am sure that all IFUT members will now understand more than ever the necessity to reject the 'Croke Park Proposals'".
Mr Jennings warned that the analysis was "more sensational than thorough". "It would be much more consistent with the rôle of the HEA were it to lobby hard for more funds for our seriously under-funded higher education system, rather than attacking that system and asking it to shrink itself", said Mr Jennings.
The IFUT Press Release is available here.
Annual Delegate Conference 2010
The 2010 IFUT Annual Delegate Conference took place in Dublin on Saturday, 24
April. The text of the speeches by IFUT President, Hugh Gibbons, IFUT General
Secretary, Mike Jennings, and one of the guest speakers, Kieran Mulvey, Chief
Executive of the Labour Relations Commission, are available on the
ADC page.
Further information for IFUT Members only is available
here.
Human Trafficking from the perspective of the Child
Since October 2008, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has undertaken a campaign to raise the awareness of the public and professionals to the crime of human trafficking. The campaign is based on the 'blue blindfold' concept, which has as its message 'Don't Close your Eyes to Human Trafficking'. The Department recently published a National Action Plan setting out the measures that have already been undertaken to prevent trafficking, protect victims and prosecute offenders.
As part of this campaign, the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit in the Department has
recently produced an article on human trafficking,
Human Trafficking from the perspective of the Child, available
here.
Further information on the Blue Blindfold Campaign is available at
http://www.blueblindfold.gov.ie.
For more information, see the
item on our News pages.
ICTU Lecture and Debate: Will Hutton
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions is hosting a lecture and debate with Will Hutton, Executive Vice-Chair of The British Work Foundation in Britain and former editor-in-chief of The Observer, in the Liberty Hall Theatre on Wednesday, 12 May 2010 at 19:00.
Details of the lecture and debate are available here.
Irish Labour History Society AGM
The Annual General Meeting of the Irish Labour History Society will take place in the Irish Labour History Museum, Dublin on Saturday, 15 May 2010 at 14:30.
Details of the AGM and a Preliminary Agenda are available here.
IFUT Executive recommends rejection of government proposals
The National Executive of IFUT has decided unanimously to recommend rejection of the government's proposed agreement with the trade unions on pay and conditions.
'While recognising that there are some positives in the proposed agreement, the offer of a blank cheque for the renegotiation of staff contracts, with fundamental and far reaching implications for educational standards, is simply not acceptable,' General Secretary, Mike Jennings, stated.
The Executive also decided that the conditions of employment of members will not be subject to aggregated vote by other unions on the proposed agreement and reserved the right to make whatever decisions are necessary if members' jobs and conditions are put in jeopardy.
The matter will be put to a full ballot of members following the ADC on 24 April next.
The IFUT Press Release is available here.
A letter from the General Secretary to all IFUT members is available here (Members only).
IFUT ADC 2010
A memorandum from the General Secretary with the motions submitted to the Annual Delegate Conference and a call for nominations for three Trustees is now available on the ADC 2010 page (Members only).
Salary Scales
The most recent salary scales in IFUT institutions are now available on our Salaries page (Members only).
Salaries include the Budget 2010 deductions imposed since 1 January 2010. The corresponding salaries from September 2008 are included for comparison purposes.
Public Service Agreement 2010-2014
After intense discussions, a draft Public Service Agreement 2010-2014 has been produced by the Government and the Public Service unions.
The draft agreement is available on our Public Service Agreement 2010-2014 page (Members only).
A clear and present danger
A recent article in Times Higher Education, entitled A clear and present danger, discusses recent threats to academic freedom.
The article is available on the Times Higher Education Website. A PDF version is also available here.
IFUT ADC 2010
The 2010 IFUT Annual Delegate Conference will take place in Dublin on
Saturday, 24 April.
The schedule of dates and deadlines leading up to the ADC is available
here.
Further documentation will be made available on the
ADC 2010 page.
IBEC paid almost €900 000 by universities in four years
The seven Irish universities paid IBEC €874 083 between 2005 and 2008.
These contributions are in addition to the costs of substantial, well-staffed Human Resources Departments. In addition, it should be noted that the State, through the Labour Relations Commission and the Labour Court, provides a free service for the resolution of disputes between employers and employees.
Despite this duplication of costs, whereby universities employ substantial numbers of HR staff and then go on to pay IBEC 'for advice', the universities also routinely incur massive legal costs for the hire of lawyers to deal with employees.
The IFUT Press Release is available here. A list of the fees paid by the universities to IBEC is available here.
Retired workers must get Labour Court rights, says IFUT
IFUT has welcomed the government's decision to consider access for retired workers to employment rights bodies.
Responding to a proposal by Labour Senator Brendan Ryan, Minister for Labour Affairs, Dara Calleary, said that he was "sympathetic" to retired people having "a facility whereby grievances arising from their former employment relationship might be examined on their merits".
IFUT General Secretary, Mike Jennings, said the current situation "represents an unjust anomaly which has allowed unfair treatment of older employees to go uncorrected". The anomaly arises because of a ruling 30 years ago by the then Attorney General that a retired person could not be regarded as a 'worker' and so could not bring a claim to the Labour Court.
The IFUT Press Release is available here.
NUI abolition a case of 'decisions without policy' says IFUT
The sudden announcement by the Minister for Education, Mr Batt O'Keefe, TD, of the abolition of the National University of Ireland (NUI) has been described as the latest example of 'decisions without policy' by the Minister.
"The announcement occurred without due consultation and with a total lack of regard for the concerns of NUI staff, graduates and current students", Mike Jennings, IFUT General Secretary, said. "No assessment has been carried out on the impact the proposed abolition will have on the national and international status of NUI degrees and courses. This is all the more unacceptable given that the Minister has pre-empted the work of the Higher Education Strategy Group."
Mr Jennings has called on the Minister, at a minimum, to enter into consultations with all stakeholders to clarify and resolve all the issues involved before proceeding further with his proposal.
The IFUT Press Release is available here.
IFUT donates €2000 to Haiti fund
IFUT has donated €2000 to assist relief efforts in Haiti, following the recent devastating earthquake there. The donation is being provided to a Fund co-ordinated by Education International, the World federation of teacher unions, and in full consultation with CNEH, IFUT's sister teacher unions in Haiti.
The IFUT Press Release is available here.
Urgent letter to all members re Budget 2010
The General Secretary has written to all members on Wednesday's Budget and the
National Executive Meeting held on Thursday.
The General Secretary's letter is available
here, on our
Budget 2010 page (Members only).
Briefing document on Public Service Pensions and the Budget
The General Secretary has written a briefing document for members on the
proposals for significant changes in Public Service pensions that were
announced in the Budget.
The General Secretary's briefing document is available
here, on our
Budget 2010 page (Members only).
Teacher unions rule out return to talks on change
The General Secretaries and Presidents of the four teacher unions met this morning to consider the impact of the budget on teachers and their families and plan a response.
The leadership of the unions is determined to reflect the anger of teachers at the budget cuts to salaries and changes to pensions through a sustained campaign of opposition.
The four unions said the unilateral imposition of a pay cut in the budget was completely incompatible with social partnership, which in the view of the four teacher unions is now over.
All of the unions categorically rejected out of hand any suggestion that talks on a transformation agenda could continue. The unions said Government had its chance to talk last week but spurned the opportunity. 'Those talks are over,' said a spokesperson. 'They will not be restarted.'
The joint Press Release is available here.
Budget displays a 'cut, cut, cut' approach to education, says IFUT
In an initial reaction to today's Budget, the Government's approach to education funding has been described as one of 'cut, cut and cut again' by the General Secretary, Mike Jennings.
'Cut the pay of an already demoralised staff, cut staff numbers to the bone and cut the funds needed to replace creakingly inadequate infrastructure - that seems to be the Government's only mantra.'
The IFUT Press Release is available here.
IFUT to sanction withdrawal of productivity in event of pay cuts
IFUT has declared that, if the Government cuts the pay of their members, then the Union will sanction an equivalent withdrawal of productivity.
IFUT will also re-ballot its members to take part in any national or education sector-wide strikes in opposition to a pay cut for these members.
'At a time when there are more students than ever before in Higher Education, a combination of the drastic under-staffing caused by the misguided staffing embargo and the collapse of morale caused by the cut of pay seems guaranteed to do untold damage to the education system just when so many more people need it', said Mike Jennings, General Secretary, who was speaking following a meeting of the National Executive at the weekend.
The IFUT Press Release is available here.
Talks failure 'missed opportunity by government', says IFUT
The breakdown today of talks between the unions and government on public sector pay talks represents a failed opportunity to get our economy and society back on track, Mike Jennings, IFUT General Secretary, has said.
'Government officials and trade unions negotiators had been achingly close to reaching an overall agreement which would have brought about an historic transformation of the public sector. By rejecting the deal, the Cabinet has returned us to the uncertainty and lack of direction that has plagued our economy and jobs market for over a year', the General Secretary added.
The IFUT Press Release is available
here.
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions Press Release is available
here.
The Poor Can't Pay
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions is promoting the pre-Budget 'viral video', The Poor Can't Pay. The video is available here.
In defence of academic salaries
William Reville, an IFUT member in UCC, has written an article entitled In defence of academic salaries, which was published in The Irish Times on 26 November last.
Professor Reville's article is available on The Irish Times Website. A PDF version is also available here.
Statement by Education International to the 7th Ministerial Conference of the WTO
Education International, the Global Union Federation representing nearly 30 million teachers, lecturers and education workers world-wide, has issued a Policy Statement in advance of the 7th Ministerial Meeting of the World Trade Organisation, taking place in Geneva. The EI Policy Statement is available here.
IFUT subsequently wrote to An Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan, and Minister for Education and Science, Batt O'Keeffe, drawing this Policy Document to their attention. The IFUT letter is available here.
One-day strike on Thursday, 3 December is suspended
The one-day strike, scheduled for Thursday, 3 December next, has been suspended.
Talks between the Government and the Public Service unions to finalise an agreement will resume at 10:00 tomorrow, Wednesday, 2 December.
IFUT reacts to HEA statement on overseas students
IFUT has reacted to the announcement by the HEA that there are now students from 139 countries studying in third-level institutions in Ireland.
Mike Jennings, IFUT General Secretary, commented: 'The fact that Irish universities, with 50% pro-rata funding compared to their counterparts in the UK, can attract such a number and diversity of overseas students is remarkable. However, the question must be asked: How are these fully fee paying students not to be short-changed by a higher education system starved of funds, staff and resources?'
The IFUT Press Release is available in full here.
One-Day Work Stoppage: Tuesday, 24 November
The Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions has called on unions to participate in a One-Day Work Stoppage on Tuesday, 24 November next.
IFUT is supporting this work stoppage. All members of IFUT are asked to play a full part in this action. An information briefing regarding the strike and how it should be conducted is available here.
A letter from the General Secretary to members regarding the stoppage and the
formal notice to the institutions in which IFUT organises are available
here.
A reminder of the reasons why this strike was called and why IFUT is supporting
it is available
here.
IFUT Submission to Higher Education Strategy Group
Members of the IFUT Executive met with the Higher Education Stategy Group on Monday, 9 November, at which we gave a presentation on our submission to the Group, The University in the Modern World, available here.
National Day of Action: Friday, 6 November
| There will be eight demonstrations at different centres thoughout the country on Friday next, 6 November. Let your work colleagues, friends and family know about this day of action and help make it a success. |
Universities threatened by market-based funding, warn international experts
New: General Secretary's speech is now available here.
|
Universities are being subjected to the same market-based, profit-driven
policies that caused the crisis in the financial markets and face an increasing
risk of a crisis in academic standards and credibility, David Robinson,
Associate Executive Director of the Canadian Association of University Teachers
(CAUT), stated at the IFUT seminar in Dublin.
Mr Robinson warned that the drift in western countries towards commercialised universities and dubious quality providers must be resisted if universities are to preserve their function as reservoirs of research and innovation. |
Danish speaker, Jens Vraa-Jensen, of Education International (EI), warned that universities cannot be managed according to market principles and at the same time fulfil their basic mission.
Mr Vraa-Jensen said: 'The basic raison d'être for any private enterprise is to create profit for its owners. The purpose of a university is not profit but to spend money in the most appropriate way on teaching students and conducting research to develop the intellectual capacity of future generations and provide the society with new knowledge for future development and welfare'.
Mike Jennings, IFUT General Secretary, said: 'Irish universities must not become the pawns of market forces and private speculators, who view education as just another source of profit and their students like customers in a supermarket'.
The IFUT Press Release is available in full
here.
Biographical notes of the speakers and outlines of the themes of their talks are
available on our seminar page.
IFUT General Secretary nominated to ILO Best Practice Working Group
The IFUT General Secretary, Mike Jennings, has been nominated by Education International as an expert to an International Labour Office (ILO) Working Group which is drawing up a Toolkit on Best Practice for the Teaching Profession world-wide.
The Toolkit is an important new initiative of ILO Sectoral Activities and is strongly supported by Education International. The Toolkit is expected to be published early in 2010 for use by Education Ministries and other public employers of teachers, as well as private employers, and by education unions around the world.
USI and IFUT Condemn Government's Third-Level Recruitment Embargo
The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) and IFUT have condemned the Government's recruitment embargo in third-level institutes.
The Higher Education Authority (HEA) demanded that, this year, all Higher Education institutes cut employment to 3 per cent below 2008 levels. The ban has affected the academic quality, as well as administrative efficiency, of colleges throughout the country.
USI President, Peter Mannion, said:
'These cuts are devastating students' experiences at college. Given the fact
that some of these staffing cutbacks are in the student services sector, our
members feel the affects acutely.'
'The Irish Federation of University Teachers shares completely the frustration expressed by USI: in colleges up and down the country IFUT members can see all too plainly the damage that is already being done to the very fabric of our Higher Education system. The Minister for Education, I am sad to say, does not even know the damage he is doing.
'My members are finding it doubly hard to cope. Not only are they vilified daily in the media as overpaid public servants while struggling to provide an education to students with vastly limited resources, but, to add insult to injury, the man who is supposed to be their political champion demonstrates almost daily his cluelessness of what is happening in his name on the ground.'
The Press Release issued jointly by IFUT and USI is available in full here.
TUI and IFUT dismiss ESRI research as 'patently flawed'
In a joint statement today, the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) and IFUT rejected as 'misleading' and 'flawed' the findings of an ESRI survey on a pay differential between public and private higher education staff.
The latest ESRI figures on a public and private pay differential between higher education staff are extremely misleading and yet again mischievously add to the drip-feed of misinformation supporting a patently flawed agenda. By failing to compare like with like, this piece of research is essentially redundant.
TUI General Secretary, Peter MacMenamin, said:
'To attempt to compare these completely different forms of employment is a
pointless exercise that adds nothing but unhelpful clutter to any reasonable,
intelligent public discourse.'
'It is unusual that the two unions that represent third-level combine to take a stance like this. It illustrates the level of what we see as a complete misunderstanding of the essential characteristics of a valid and internationally respected education system.'
The Press Release issued jointly by the two unions is available in full here.
World Teachers' Day, 5 October 2009
Monday, 5 October 2009 is World Teachers' Day. World Teachers' Day, held annually on 5 October since 1994, commemorates the anniversary of the signing in 1966 of the UNESCO/ILO Recommendation Concerning the Status of Teachers. It is an occasion to celebrate the essential role of teachers in providing quality education at all levels and an occasion to celebrate the immense contribution made by the world's approximately 55 million teachers to their students, schools and societies.
This year, Education International (EI), the International Labour Organisation (ILO), UNESCO, UNDP and UNICEF have issued a joint statement calling upon governments, communities, national and international institutions everywhere to act decisively to achieve Education for All. In addition, they are seeking mechanisms that protect teachers and ensure that education investments match demand at all levels of education.
'There is an acute shortage of qualified and trained teachers, especially in the developing world where enrolments at all levels are increasing. It is estimated that 2.4 million teachers (1.2 million new teacher posts) will be needed between 2007 and 2015 in sub-Saharan Africa alone to achieve Universal Primary Education. Lack of training, professional development and growing recruitment on a contract basis weaken education quality. But the profession is also gravely affected by poverty, the HIV and AIDS pandemic, natural disasters, conflict and violence against teachers in school', according to the statement.
The Education International Press Release is available
here.
The UNESCO Press Release is available
here.
The Joint Statement is available
here.
The Press Release and Joint Statement are available in other languages on
the EI Website,
the UNESCO World Teachers' Day Webpage,
the World Teachers' Day Website
and the IFUT World Teachers' Day 2009 Webpage.
Launch of IFUT badge
The IFUT Badge was formally launched at a reception in the Gresham Hotel, Dublin on Friday, 2 October 2009.
The launch was attended by IFUT President, Hugh Gibbons, the General Secretary, Mike Jennings, members of the IFUT Executive and IFUT Council and a number of past Presidents.
Photographs from the event will be available shortly.
Teacher unions promise opposition to cuts in pay
ASTI, IFUT, INTO and TUI have declared their total opposition to cuts in the pay of their members. Such cuts are totally unacceptable and will be resisted.
The General Secretaries and Presidents of the four Teacher Unions issued a Joint Statement after their meeting today (Tuesday, 22 September 2009). 'We want to send a crystal clear message to An Taoiseach and his Ministers that we will not accept the scape-goating of our members to pay for a financial crisis which we did not cause.
'Teachers and lecturers have already suffered a severe drop in living standards. If more pain is necessary, it must be spread fairly and evenly over those who can most afford it. Singling out public servants for special treatment is nothing more than an ill-thought out recipe for social division.'
The Press Release is available in full here.
IFUT releases policy document on Government's employment policy for Higher Education
IFUT has released an important policy document on the Government's employment policy for Higher Education
The main points of the IFUT policy are:
- The Government's employment policy for the Higher Education sector is illegal
- The Government's policy is politically stupid
- The Government's policy is contradictory and unworkable
- The Minister's policy will lead to higher drop-out rates
- The Minister's policy is anti-democratic
- IFUT will oppose these policies
- IFUT seeks the support of university management in resisting these cuts
The IFUT Press Release is available
here.
The IFUT policy document is available
here.
Four teacher unions prepare for challenges ahead
The Presidents and General Secretaries of the four teacher unions (ASTI, IFUT, INTO and TUI) met on 8 September 2009 to prepare a strategy against further attacks on the education system in the coming months.
All four unions are gravely concerned that cutbacks already in place are having a detrimental effect on the education system. Staffing and other cutbacks at primary, post-primary and third-level are severely damaging the education system and the country is at risk of suffering a sharp fall in educational standards if the sector is further targeted.
The unions are committed to maintaining the highest standards within the education system, particularly for the disadvantaged in the communities in which members work.
As trade unions, there is also concern for the security of tenure and conditions of service of teachers and lecturers.
The Press Release is available in full here.
Proposed Reintroduction of Higher Education Fees
In a letter to the editor of The Irish Times and published on 4 September 2009, IFUT General Secretary, Mike Jennings, writes:
'We impose financial charges (for example for refuse collection, water supply, etc) as an instrument to discourage usage. Yet we are expected to suspend our disbelief when the Minister for Education says that re-imposing fees will not discourage participation in Higher Education.'
The General Secretary's letter is available in full here.
Garda Vetting
The IFUT Executive has issued information guidelines for members regarding Garda Vetting.
The document is available on the Information for Members page.
IFUT complains to European Commission over Labour Court ruling
IFUT has written to the European Commission to complain about a Labour Court decision affecting one of its members.
It is calling on the Commission to investigate Ireland's non-compliance with the fixed term workers directive, and Fixed Term Workers Act, 2003, the statute examined by the Labour Court in the run-up to its decision.
The 2003 Act provides protection to employees in the form of accrued rights, culminating after a set period, in the right to a contract of indefinite duration. However, exemptions on 'objective grounds' are provided for.
The full article from Industrial Relations News (Issue 31, 2 September 2009) is available here.
Good deals in good hotels
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has launched a campaign encouraging trade unions and individual trade union members to use their purchasing power to combat exploitation in the hotels sector by favouring hotels which allow their employees to be represented by a trade union.
In the ICTU brochure, Rest Assured: Union Hotels for Union Members, you will find details of deals available in hotels which engage in good employment practices.
By favouring these hotels, you will not only benefit from the specific deals on offer, but you will also be using your purchasing power as an individual trade union member to combat exploitation in the hotels sector by discriminating in favour of hotels which afford their staff dignity and respect and recognise their right to be represented by a trade union.
The ICTU brochure is available here.
Join IFUT!
IFUT needs your support! Join IFUT now!
Information on IFUT is available here.
Tá eolas faoi CÉMO le fáil anseo.
An application form may be downloaded from here. You should print this out, complete it and send it to
the Membership Secretary at the address below.
Subscription rates are available here.
Address: IFUT, 11 Merrion Square, Dublin 2.
Telephone: (01) 661 0910
IFUT concerned about knock-on potential of any change in allowances
IFUT has expressed some concern that any abolition of allowances paid to academic staff in Irish Universities would not apply to those allowances which staff are paid for performing extra duties.
The General Secretary, Mike Jennings, said that IFUT wanted complete transparency in the payment of allowances and was critical of those allowances which were not directly linked to the performance of extra duties. However, he was clear that with regard to those 'legitimate' allowances that were paid to staff for taking on additional workloads, IFUT members would not be performing such role if they were not paid the allowance.
The full article from Industrial Relations News (Issue 30, 27 August 2009) is available here.
Early Retirement, Career Break and Shorter Working Year Schemes
Documents issued by the Department of Education describing the Incentivised Scheme for Early Retirement, the Special Incentive Career Break Scheme and the Shorter Working Year Scheme are available in the Members' Area.
The HEA is quite clear that the terms of these schemes do apply to the Higher Education Sector, including universities.
'An Bord Snip Nua' Report released
The Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan, has released the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes. The Group, popularly known as An Bord Snip Nua, which has sat for the last six months, was chaired by UCD Economist, Colm McCarthy.
The Press Statement announcing the release of the report is available
here.
The report itself is in two volumes,
Volume I and
Volume II.
(Access to the report on the IFUT Website is restricted to IFUT members only.)
IFUT has issued a Press Release in initial reponse to the report.
'This report, and, in particular, the parts of it which relate to education, will come to be regarded as one of the most short-sighted documents in Irish education history. At a time when more and more people are turning to education as an intelligent, self-enhancing alternative to unemployment, how could any group of consultants recommend a total reduction of almost seven thousand jobs in education, two thousand of them in higher education alone?'
This IFUT Press Release is available is full here.
The General Secretary, Mike Jennings, has also called on university managements to work with IFUT and other employee representative bodies in the sector to present a strong and comprehensive response and resistance to the cuts proposed in the Report.
The IFUT Press Release with details on this proposal is available is full here
Briefing Note for Members on the non-filling of vacancies
The General Secretary has written a Briefing Note for Members on how to respond to the embargo on recruitment and promotions recently confirmed by the HEA (see details elsewhere on the Website).
The Briefing Note and the General Secretary's cover letter are available in the Members' Area.
IFUT elected to Executive Council of ICTU
|
IFUT has been elected to the Executive Council of Congress. The election took place at Congress's Biennial Delegate Conference in Tralee. IFUT's success was all the more remarkable given the fact that it was the smallest Union contesting the election. Despite the fact that IFUT had only two delegate votes, we were elected on the first count with 19 first-preference votes. IFUT's General Secretary, Mike Jennings, will begin his two-year term on the Congress Executive on Wednesday, 15 July 2009. |
|
HEA publishes Employment Control Framework
The HEA has published the Employment Control Framework for the Higher Education Sector.
This Framework was promised in the letter of 1 April from the HEA to the President/Provost of each of the seven Universities, sent in early April. This letter was sent in response to a letter from the Department of Finance to the Department of Education and Science in late March. In their letter, the HEA stated that 'with effect from 27 March there should be no filling of vacancies by recruitment, promotion or the payment of an allowance for the performance of duties at a higher level, except possibly in the case of academic and support posts that are considered essential to maintaining core service activities', pending the publication of the Framework arrangements.
The HEA Employment Control Framework document shall operate from 1 July. It is available here (Members only).
UNESCO Declaration on Academic Freedom
The 1997 UNESCO Declaration on Academic Freedom is a seminal, hugely important document on academic freedom and the status of teaching staff in Higher Education institutions. The Declaration may be accessed from the UNESCO Website here.
The Declaration is also available in PDF format from the UNESCO Website or from the IFUT Website. The Declaration starts on Page 32.IFUT ADC Resolutions 1968 - 2009
A classified compilation of all resolutions passed at IFUT Annual Delegate Conferences from 1968 to 2009 is now available here.
IFUT 2009 now available
The IFUT Annual Report for 2008-2009, IFUT 2009, is now available here.
ANNUAL DELEGATE CONFERENCE 2009
|
The 2009 IFUT Annual Delegate Conference took place in Dublin on Saturday, 25
April. Documentation and photographs from the ADC are available on the
ADC page.
IFUT is very proud to have received messages of support from President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, and former President, Mary Robinson, among others. Further details are available here. |
|
Report on ballot for industrial action
The General Secretary has issued a report on the recent ballot for industrial action. His report is available here (Members only).
IMPORTANT MESSAGE REGARDING NATIONAL ONE-DAY WORK STOPPAGE
IFUT Members to work normally on Monday, 30 March
At its meeting yesterday, Wednesday, 25 March, the National Executive of IFUT decided, in line with the decision of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, to advise all IFUT members to work normally on Monday next, 30 March 2009.
The General Secretary, Mike Jennings, has written to all members with an update. The General Secretary's letter is available here (Members only).
IFUT votes for industrial action
'Reluctant determination to do what must be done to get the Government to listen'
IFUT members have voted by a substantial majority to participate in the ICTU-organised National One-Day Work Stoppage scheduled for 30 March 2009.
The General Secretary, Mike Jennings, said that the ballot represents 'the reluctant determination of IFUT members to register the strongest possible protest against the Government's handling of the economic crisis'.
The ballot was counted today and showed a margin of 67.7% in favour of the action.
The IFUT Press Release is available here.
IFUT responds to reports of job losses in universities
The General Secretary has said that any rationalisation of higher education would only work if it emerged from a sincere and constructive engagement with all of the stakeholders, particularly the university staff who are represented by IFUT.
'Rationalisation could be a good thing if it were genuinely aimed at bringing about improvements in the education system. However, any programme of rationalisation which is only a flag of convenience for cost cutting will generate only conflict and acrimony', Mike Jennings said.
IFUT also reiterated its position that no compulsory redundancies in the higher education sector will be acceptable.
The IFUT Press Release is available here.
IFUT ADC 2009
The schedule of dates and deadlines leading up to the 2009 Annual Delegate Conference is available here.
The ADC will take place in Dublin on Saturday, 25 April.
International Women's Day, 8 March 2009
IFUT/Education International Statement marking International Women's Day (March 8, 2009)
International Women's Day is an occasion to review the ongoing struggle for women's rights and gender equality. It is an opportunity to celebrate the progress made, as well as condemn the ongoing difficulties many women and girls face in their efforts to assert their rights to equality and justice. March 8 is also an opportunity to renew our commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination (CEDAW) which, if implemented, would help to ensure that women and girls were guaranteed access to education and lives free from violence.
The complete statement from Education International is available here.
Labour Court recommendation represents historic victory for academic freedom
IFUT has warmly welcomed a Recommendation from the Labour Court that disciplinary warnings against a University Academic who had been punished for not following orders regarding his Research Plans should be quashed and expunged from his employment record.
For details on the case, see the IFUT Press Release here.
Join IFUT!
IFUT needs your support! Join IFUT now!
Information on IFUT is available here.
Tá eolas faoi CÉMO le fáil anseo.
An application form may be downloaded from here. You should print this out, complete it and send it to
the Membership Secretary at the address below.
Subscription rates are available here.
Address: IFUT, 11 Merrion Square, Dublin 2.
Telephone: (01) 661 0910
'There is a better, fairer way'
The focal point and manifesto of the National Demonstration on 21 February, in which IFUT participated, was the ICTU document, There is a better, fairer way, which includes the ICTU ten-point plan.
There is a better, fairer way is available here.
Join IFUT!
IFUT needs your support! Join IFUT now!
Information on IFUT is available here.
Tá eolas faoi CÉMO le fáil anseo.
An application form may be downloaded from here. You should print this out, complete it and send it to
the Membership Secretary at the address below.
Subscription rates are available here.
Address: IFUT, 11 Merrion Square, Dublin 2.
Telephone: (01) 661 0910
Letter to Members on Pensions Levy
The General Secretary has written to all members with the latest on the pensions levy and related matters.
The General Secretary's letter is available here (Members only).
Breakdown of National Talks
The General Secretary has written to all members with a report on the breakdown of the National Talks.
The General Secretary's letter is available here (Members only).
Join IFUT!
IFUT needs your support! Join IFUT now!
Information on IFUT is available here.
Tá eolas faoi CÉMO le fáil anseo.
An application form may be downloaded from here. You should print this out, complete it and send it to
the Membership Secretary at the address below.
Subscription rates are available here.
Address: IFUT, 11 Merrion Square, Dublin 2.
Telephone: (01) 661 0910
IFUT General Secretary addresses USI protest rally against fees
The General Secretary has addressed a protest rally against third-level fees organised by the Union of Students in Ireland today (Tuesday, 4 February 2009). Mike Jennings said he could 'testify to the very real difference that not having to pay fees makes to individuals and society alike'.
The IFUT Press Release is available here.
Taoiseach's salary should be no higher than US President's, says IFUT
The General Secretary has said that agreement on a package of proposals to help save the Exchequer €2bn is possible if the type of proposals being put to the unions were mirrored elsewhere in the economy, for example if An Taoiseach were to agree to accept a salary level no higher than that of the US President.
The IFUT Press Release is available here.
IFUT secures Rights Commissioner award in respect of flaws in promotion process in NUIM
A Rights Commissioner has awarded €4000 to an IFUT member in NUI Maynooth arising from certain inadequacies in the University's promotion process.
The Rights Commissioner found in favour of IFUT in all areas of its submission.
The IFUT Press Release is available here.
Current Economic Situation
The General Secretary has written a letter (on 23 January) to all members on the current economic situation and IFUT's position regarding negotiations. The General Secretary's letter is available here (Members only).
AA Insurance services for IFUT Members
AA Insurance operates as Ireland's largest personal lines insurance intermediary. They now offer IFUT Members a range of exclusive discounts on motor, home and travel insurance. Save up to:
- 25% on AA car insurance premiums
- €90 on AA house insurance premiums
- €20 on AA frequent travel insurance
IFUT Council
The most recent meeting of IFUT Council took place on Saturday, 13 December.
The minutes of this meeting are now available here.
IFUT Executive
The most recent meeting of IFUT Executive took place on Saturday, 31 January.
The minutes of this meeting are now available here.
Labour Court rules in favour of St Catherine's lecturers
'Minister's action caused 15 months of needless hardship to fixed-term staff'
In an important ruling, the Labour Court has determined that two Fixed-Term Contract Lecturers, who lost their jobs when the Department of Education closed St Catherine's College of Education for Home Economics, must be paid the same ex-gratia redundancy as their permanent colleagues.
The Labour Court also awarded additional compensation of €2500 each to the two women.
IFUT, which fought the case on behalf of our members in St Catherine's, has warmly welcomed the ruling.
'One notable aspect of this case', said Mike Jennings, General Secretary, 'is that I personally made direct pleas to the then Minister, Mary Hanafin, not to embark on this illegal discrimination. Regrettably, the Minister each time rebuffed our representations'.
The Labour Court has formally noted that the Barrister who represented the Department of Education at the Labour Court Hearing 'rightly conceded that the stated position of the Minister is unsustainable in law'.
The IFUT press release is available in full
here.
The full text of the Labour Court Determination is available
here.
IFUT wins Labour Court case to secure promotion to Associate Professor for member in UCD
In an important Recommendation, the Labour Court has supported IFUT's contention that UCD was wrong not to promote one of its members to the post of Associate Professor.
The member in question had twice won his appeals against his non-selection for promotion. The University Committee on Academic Appointments Tenure and Promotion (UCAATP) refused to abide by these decisions, despite the fact that the Appeals Committee decisions are, according to university rules, 'binding'.
IFUT has warmly welcomed the Labour Court decision and congratulated the member concerned for his determination to stand up for his entitlements.
'By doing so he has won an important victory which will benefit many of his colleagues facing similar unfairness and obduracy', said Mike Jennings, IFUT General Secretary.
The Labour Court Recommendation is LCR 19410 and was issued on 8 December 2008. More details are available here.
IFUT votes to endorse pay deal
IFUT members have voted to accept the terms of the National Pay Agreement. The deal, which was the subject of a postal ballot of all IFUT members, had been recommended for acceptance by the IFUT Executive.
The General Secretary, Mike Jennings, said: 'We are very pleased that our members agreed with our recommendation that the deal was the best available in the current climate. However, no one should interpret this decision as implying acceptance by IFUT of the draconian education cuts contained in the recent Budget. In fact, the opposite is the case. Once the pay deal is resolved, we will be able to concentrate on winning the battle for popular and political support to overturn these cuts which will have such a devastating impact on our higher education system'.
The Press release issued by the General Secretary is available
here.
More details on the vote are available
here
(Members only).
Supreme Court Rules on Tenure/Disciplinary Action/Universities Act in Case Involving Professor in UCC
The Supreme Court has made a Judgement in a case regarding threatened disciplinary action against a Professor in UCC. The Judgement has interesting implications regarding tenure for university staff. The full text of the Judgement is available here (in the Documentation section of the Members Only area).
Threatened Compulsory Redundancy in NUIM
Members will be aware of the case of threatened compulsory redundancy in the National University of Ireland, Maynooth; see the item on our News pages (here) and our Press Release.
The General Secretary has recently given an update on the situation in a letter to members of the NUIM Branch; this is available here (Members only).
Budget 2009
'The Minister for Education has displayed a lack of understanding and failed to
impress on the Minister for Finance the importance of adequately funding
education to promote economic and social development.
'Apart from the continued massive underfunding of the educational sector, the
Budget reveals new evidence of the Minister's lack of empathy with the sector.
'The anticipated massive increase in third-level registration fees, elimination
of child benefit for students over 18 and the abolition of the Early Childhood
Development Centre and Education Disadvantage Committee all point to a serious
decline in educational opportunity for disadvantaged sectors of society.'
The IFUT Press Release on the Budget is available in full
here.
New National Agreement
The IFUT Executive has 'with reluctance' recommended a 'Yes' vote to the New
National Pay Agreement. The statement by IFUT President, Joe Brady, is available
here.
For details and comment on the decision see the News item
here.
For the coverage by RTÉ, see
here.
The Press Release that was issued to the media is available
here.
The final text of the Public Service Pay and Modernisation Sections of the new
National Agreement is available here (Members only).
IFUT ADC Resolutions 1968 - 2008
A classified compilation of all resolutions passed at IFUT Annual Delegate Conferences from 1968 to 2008 is now available here.
IFUT 2008 now available
The IFUT Annual Report for 2007-2008, IFUT 2008, is now available here.
IFUT Annual Delegate Conference
A highly successful Annual Delegate Conference was held in Dublin on Saturday, 19 April. Reports in that day's editions of the Irish Examiner and The Irish Times are available here and here, respectively.
Documentation from the ADC, including the text of the Presidential Address by IFUT President, Joe Brady, the text of the speech by the General Secretary, Mike Jennings, the Annual Report and the motions passed by the ADC, is available here.
Join IFUT!
IFUT needs your support! Join IFUT now!
Information on IFUT is available here. Tá eolas faoi CÉMO le fáil anseo.An application form may be downloaded from here. You should print this out, complete it and send it to the Membership Secretary at the address below.
Subscription rates are available here.
Contact us
Address: 11 Merrion Square, Dublin 2.Telephone: (01) 661 0910
E-mail: ifut@eircom.net