The Tyndall National Institute is a constituent unit of UCC, which conducts ground-breaking research on information technology. UCC Staff at the Institute have done their utmost over decades to propel the Institute to being the largest and most successful research institute of its kind in Ireland, with an excellent reputation at home and abroad. However, Tyndall-based UCC Staff have had to endure deep inequity compared to their peers in the rest of the University despite these achievements. Tyndall based UCC Staff are paid well below their peers on main campus – in certain instances the disparity is as much as 50%.

A brief summary of the background to this situation is:- · The Tyndall National Institute, University College Cork, is one of Europe’s leading centres for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) research and development. It is the largest facility of its kind in Ireland. Its mission is to support the growth and development of a smart knowledge based economy in Ireland. UCC’s Tyndall National Institute has 185 permanent staff as well as a large student body. Tyndall's income of €32m last year accounted for over 1/3 of the entire research income of UCC, and have over 200 industry partnerships and customers worldwide · There is an anomaly between the pay and conditions of Tyndall-based UCC staff and that of the rest of the University, UCC · There is clear disparity in the career path prospects, annual leave, working hours and benefits associated with various Grades available to Tyndall based UCC staff · Tyndall-based UCC staff are paid up to 50% less than their peers in UCC, i.e. Tyndall-based UCC staff employed in the same roles for the same length of time are paid less than their peers in the remainder of the University. Inequality in the workplace is contrary to national and European equality legislation[1], and indeed contrary to UCC’s own statement of purpose for equality of UCC staff[2] · In addition to the burden of the pay cuts borne by all staff across the University, Tyndall-based UCC staff have not received any increments for more than 4 years as Tyndall-based UCC staff are not to be found on any of the pay scales which exist in the rest of the University · UCC management has been made aware of this inequality and indeed several representations have been made to management over more than a 20 year period. We have exhausted all industrial relations mechanisms available to us, yet to date the situation is still unresolved This situation is now having a critically negative impact through: - o Failure to retain world class researchers o Loss of research income o Damage to UCC’s reputation o An inability to attract key management personnel o Total destruction of Staff morale We, the members of the IFUT and SIPTU unions in Tyndall, have collectively over 1000 years of service to UCC. We are rightfully proud of all that we have contributed to, and achieved in, making Tyndall the centre of excellence that it is today. We seek only fairness – parity with our colleagues – and that employment conditions are standardized across the university[3]. We seek a quick resolution of this issue so that we can focus entirely on our core business of research, graduate education and supporting Irish and International industry.