“Irish third-level institutions are to be affected by strikes and other actions over pay and conditions in the coming months. This comes as lecturers and researchers in 60 universities across the UK and Northern Ireland began an eight day strike on Monday over pensions, pay and conditions …” (more)
[TheJournal.ie, 1 December]
“The possibility that no public service pay agreement will be in place to follow the current deal when it expires at the end of next year has been raised by Fórsa at a meeting of ICTU’s Public Service Committee, which represents most unions with members in the public sector. The union’s general secretary Kevin Callinan today (Thursday) said Fórsa and other unions needed to prepare for the possibility, while urging the Government to inject more urgency into addressing problems with the current Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA) …” (more)
[Fórsa, 28 November]
“UCD academics are paid some of the highest salaries in the country as well as having greater pay packages than their international counterparts. This may be due to UCD being recently ranked low in international research tables and if the university provides higher salaries to researchers and academics this positioning can be improved …” (more)
[Adam O’Sullivan, College Tribune, 24 November]
“Many lecturers and support staff at Queen’s University (QUB) and Ulster University (UU) are beginning eight days of strike action on Monday. The action by University and College Union (UCU) members is due to disputes over pay and pensions. The strike is expected to continue up to and including Wednesday, 4 December …” (more)
[Robbie Meredith, BBC News, 25 November]
“Many college students are faced with compulsory placements and no guarantee of payment. A day’s work warrants compensation. In January 2019 pharmacy students took to the streets of Dublin to protest a ban on paid internship placements, required as part of the final two years of their degree. The group were successful with the ban being lifted but payment still remains optional …” (more)
[Niall Hurson, University Observer, 21 November]
“Senior academics have little confidence in the governance and management capacity of their own higher education institutions, according to a new survey. It also finds many are sceptical over the Government’s ambition to provide the best education system in Europe over the next decade. The findings are contained in a survey of more than 340 senior staff in higher education institutions and agencies by the polling firm Prospectus …” (more)
[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 20 November]
“Teachers are to stage a one-day strike in February in a significant escalation of the long-running campaign to end the two-tier pay system in schools. The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) said its executive had decided to hold the stoppage as its efforts to bring the issue of pay discrimination to a conclusion had been ‘frustrated by Government inaction’ …” (more)
[Martin Wall, Irish Times, 18 November]
“Teachers are to stage a one-day strike in February in a significant escalation of the long-running campaign to end the two-tier pay system in schools. The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) said its executive had decided to hold the stoppage as its efforts to bring the issue of pay discrimination to a conclusion had been ‘frustrated by Government inaction’ …” (more)
[Martin Wall, Irish Times, 18 November]
“Queen’s University and Ulster University face eight days of strike action from many lecturers and support staff, starting on 25 November. The action by University and College Union (UCU) members is due to disputes over pay and pensions. The walkout follows votes in favour of industrial action and will affect about 60 universities across the UK …” (more)
[Robbie Meredith, BBC News, 7 November]
“Ireland ranks 13th out of 23 European countries when it comes to pay levels for graduates with a bachelor’s degree. Those leaving college here can expect to earn around €31,075, just over a quarter more than the average salary of someone who finishes their education after secondary school. The figures come in a report from insurance and consulting group Willis Towers Watson …” (more)
[Ellie Donnelly, Independent, 25 October]
“Looking for a job in Irish universities was demoralising as there were no permanent contracts for the type of role I was applying for. In Ireland, you get a graduate visa for two years after completing a postgrad in order to find a job. This is difficult when the role you want doesn’t offer permanent contracts, which is the case for most graduate jobs in third levels these days …” (more)
[TheJournal.ie, 20 October]
“The bill for public sector pay and pensions is set to rise by more than €1bn to a new peak next year. Wages for State workers and payments to pensioners will hit a combined total of €23bn. The pay bill is expected to increase by just under 5%, or €925m, to €19.6bn. Pension costs will jump 5.2%, or €166m, to €3.3bn …” (more)
[Anne-Marie Walsh, Independent, 12 October]
“Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) members have voted overwhelmingly to renew their mandate for industrial action over two-tier pay rates. The ballot was passed by a margin of 92% to 8% to endorse the union’s mandate for industrial action, up to and including strike action, as part of its campaign for equal pay …” (more)
[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 10 October]
“The IUA welcomes the Budget provisions for higher education for known increases in student numbers in 2020 and pay provisions under national wage agreements. We understand this cautious approach to the Budget by the government in the context of the considerable uncertainty arising from Brexit. However, it must be recognised that the Budget does not address the growing gap in core funding of our third level system …” (more)
[IUA, 9 October]
“An Ulster University lecturer has criticised the institution’s ‘galling’ spending after it emerged 65 staff were paid at least £100,000 each year. Right-wing pressure group the TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) announced the finding after submitting Freedom of Information requests to 120 universities across the UK …” (more)
[Allan Preston, Belfast Telegraph, 3 October]
“The term ‘lace curtain poverty’ was coined to refer to situations where the objective reality of being impoverished is compounded by the additional complication whereby your circumstances are assumed by neighbours and the wider community to be at a much more comfortable (even prosperous) level than they actually are …” (more)
[IFUT, 16 September]
“Teachers at Dublin City University’s English language school have said an offer to increase their pay by 50 cents an hour is ‘humiliating’ and ‘insulting’. Teachers at the school are looking to increase their pay from €24.60 to €35 per hour, close to what they were paid before the recession …” (more)
[TheJournal.ie, 16 September]
“Despite being better educated overall – women aged 25-64, with a degree in Ireland earn 28% less than their male counterparts, according to a new report. This is among the findings in an annual overview of structure, finances and performance of education systems in the developed world, by the international think-tank OECD …” (more)
[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 10 September]
“Ireland has the largest pay gap between men and women with third level qualifications in the OECD. Education at a Glance, which was published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, shows that men educated to third level in Ireland earn more than their female peers …” (more)
[RTÉ News, 10 September]
“The Education Oversight Body was established as a result of the Public Services Pay Agreement to act as a ‘fast-track’ clearing house for disputes which arise regarding the specific education-related provisions of the Agreement …” (more)
[IFUT, 2 September]
