Irish Federation of University Teachers » Towards 2016

IFUT Executive recommends rejection of government proposals

admin — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 16:47:39 +0000

The Executive of the Irish Federation of University Teachers (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,” IFUT General Secretary, Mike Jennings, stated.

The Executive of IFUT also decided that the conditions of employment of its 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 the union’s members following its Annual Delegate Conference on 24 April next.

The IFUT Press Release is available here.

IFUT members to work normally on Monday, 30 March

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 09:30:44 +0000

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).

“There is a better, fairer way”

admin — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:07:43 +0000

The National Demonstration on 21 February, which IFUT is supporting fully, will have the ICTU document, There is a better, fairer way, which includes a ten-point plan, as its focal point and manifesto.

There is a better, fairer way is available here.

Taoiseach’s salary should be no higher than US President’s, says IFUT

admin — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 12:46:09 +0000

The IFUT General Secretary, Mr Mike Jennings, 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.

Entering talks today (Sunday, 1 February 2009), Mr Jennings said “If, for instance, An Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, were to agree to accept a salary level no higher than that of US President, Barack Obama, with pro rata rates for other Government Ministers and if the government were to initiate legal sanction against Sean Fitzpatrick for his role in Anglo Irish Bank, it would be easier to address the draconian proposals now on the table.

“Trade union members must not be the only ones expected to bear the brunt of the very serious economic crisis now facing the country,” he said.

The IFUT Press Release is available here.

IFUT votes to endorse pay deal and vows to continue fight against education cuts

admin — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:53:40 +0000

IFUT members have voted to accept the terms of the National Pay Agreement. It had been recommended for acceptance by the IFUT Executive.

IFUT’s 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 IFUT press release is available in full here.

IFUT recommends “Yes” on pay but reserves right to invoke review clause

admin — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 11:21:44 +0000

IFUT has “with reluctance” recommended a “Yes” vote by its members to the new national pay agreement. A meeting of the organisation’s Executive in Dublin on Saturday (4 October) voted in favour of the deal, in view of the importance of providing certainty for education and students as well as the broader economy in the current critical economic climate.

“In recent years university teachers and researchers have offered very considerable flexibility in accepting ever greater workloads. The issue of pay will be reviewed again in the context of allocations to Education in the forthcoming Budget and the pressure under which our members are expected to do their job,” IFUT General Secretary, Mike Jennings, said.

IFUT will use the clause of the agreement which provides for a total review of the benchmarking process as a mechanism to pursue productivity claims in recognition of the massive additional workload taken on by university staff over the past decade, he says.

The IFUT Press Release is available here.