The Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) has demanded full restoration of payments and allowances which were cut from university staff in recent years in the coming pay talks.
IFUT General Secretary, Mike Jennings, said that not alone have university staff suffered very substantial cuts in salaries but working conditions had deteriorated drastically at the same time.
“The recently published Public Service Pay Commission Report points out that the salaries of public servants at higher pay levels are in many cases ‘significantly’ below private sector levels. This requires urgent focus by all those involved in the talks.
“Therefore those who talk about not restoring pay cuts to professionals at senior levels in the public service must address the consequences of making such employment less attractive than in the private sector.
“If staff at certain levels are demanding more restoration payments it is simply because they suffered more cuts. IFUT will not accept any proposal to treat professional staff in the public service as second class citizens.
“University teachers and researchers, at all pay levels, have all taken major salary hits. At the same time staff numbers were slashed by 4,500 between 2008 and 2013 with no improvement since, while student numbers surged by over 31,000 and continue to soar.
“The government should accept the reality as pointed out in the Public Service Pay Commission Report report and ensure pay restoration at all levels is implemented,” Mike Jennings said.
- The IFUT Annual Delegate Conference on Saturday May 6th unanimously backed an emergency motion stating: “This ADC declares that IFUT will vehemently oppose any proposal to reduce Public Service Pensions in the coming pay negotiations. IFUT will also be insisting that all of the payments and allowances which were unilaterally cut from the pay of university staff in recent years must be restored in full. Far from accepting any delay in the implementation of restoration, IFUT will be pushing hard for these to be brought forward.”
ENDS
For further information on this media release, please contact:
John Gallagher, John Gallagher Consulting. Tel. 087 9369888
Mike Jennings, General Secretary, IFUT. Tel. 087 6776747.