Ninth Level Ireland

“Construction workers and trade union representatives gathered outside the Printing House Square construction site this morning to protest against the underpayment of plumbers working on Trinity’s new student accommodation complex. With a giant inflatable rat in tow, protestors stood outside the Pearse St entrance of Trinity …” (more)

[Cormac Watson, University Times, 16 August]

“College has launched an investigation into claims that workers on the Printing House Square site have received hourly rates €2 to €3 lower than legal requirements. Plumbers and apprentices on the site complained about their wages in February to Rob Kelly, a regional organiser for trade union Unite, while he was visiting the site, Kelly told the Dublin Inquirer …” (more)

[Lauren Boland, Trinity News, 31 July]

“Since March, Rob Kelly has been trying to get somebody to care about plumbers and apprentices on a student-accommodation building site being – he says – underpaid. Once finished, Printing House Square should offer 250 beds for students, plans show. The project, which is being overseen by Bennett Construction Limited, is being built on the former site of Oisín House on Pearse Street, for Trinity College Dublin …” (more)

[Aura McMenamin, Dublin Inquirer, 31 July]

“Up to 28 staff at a language school have not been paid amid fears it has closed down. The union representing some of the teachers at Grafton College in Portobello, Dublin appealed to the Department of Education to step in and ‘not to wash its hands of this’ just weeks before Christmas …” (more)

[Laura Lynott, Independent, 3 December]

“Sir, – The Department of Archaeology in University College Cork wishes to express strong support for the position currently being taken by the trade union Unite in seeking better pay and working conditions for commercial archaeologists in Ireland (‘Archaeologists seek “appropriate” pay after site walk-off’, News, July 9th) …” (more)

[William O’Brien, Irish Times, 30 July]

“Academic staff in TCD are seeking intervention by the Workplace Relations Commission to mediate a solution on proposed changes to the academic year and holiday arrangements that will seriously impact on time available for research work. The changes, part of the new Trinity Education Project, impact on holiday arrangements and affect staff represented by IFUT, SIPTU and Unite unions …” (more)

[Irish Federation of University Teachers, 30 April]

“Almost 150 foreign students and 10 staff members have been affected by the closure of a Limerick language school which lost its accreditation following an inspection by immigration authorities. Trade union Unite, which represents English language teachers, said staff at LanLearn had been left without wages, while it has expressed concern for students left ‘stranded’ by the closure …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 22 March]

“Trinity’s trade unions are expecting a decision this week on College’s reaction to the government’s advice on fixed-term contracts, which this summer called on Irish universities to end the improper use of such contracts. In early October, the three major unions in Trinity met with the new Human Resources Director, Antoinette Quinn, to discuss Trinity’s implementations of the government recommendations …” (more)

[Aaron Finnegan, University Times, 31 October]

“Members of the Unite trade union have been advised to reject a new public service pay agreement. Representatives met on Wednesday following several weeks of consultation with members …” (more)

[Jack Quann, newstalk, 16 August]

“English Language School teachers have said that they love their job but it is impossible to stay in the sector long term because of a lack of regulation. The Unite trade union is briefing Oireachtas members today on concerns over the industry, where the majority of schools are privately run …” (more)

[BreakingNews.ie, 4 July]

“Ninety per cent of voting members of the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) have voted in Trinity this evening to support strike action, coming just weeks after two other unions voted to do the same, as the dispute between college and support and service staff continues …” (more)

[Róisín Power, University Times, 12 April]

“Trinity is due to meet with the two unions representing administrative and service staff on April 11th in the latest attempt to resolve the ongoing dispute over contracts and promotions. The Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union (SIPTU) and Unite, whose members in Trinity have already voted to support industrial and strike action, will meet with Trinity on April 11th at a hearing of the Workplace Relations Commission …” (more)

[Dillon Hennessy, University Times, 7 April]

“Unite, one of the two trade unions threatening strike action in Trinity, has denounced College’s new policy on the employment of external contractors, as revealed by The University Times this week …” (more)

[Dominic McGrath, University Times, 24 March]

“Service and support staff in Trinity College Dublin who are represented by the Unite trade union have voted overwhelmingly for industrial action in a dispute over contracts. Unite said the vote for industrial action followed a decision by management at the university to halt unilaterally future promotions for support and service staff, while also employing future personnel on five-year instead of permanent contracts …” (more)

[Martin Wall, Irish Times, 15 March]

“The Unite trade union, one of the unions representing administrative and service staff in Trinity, is to organise a ballot on industrial action, as hopes fade for a resolution to their ongoing dispute with College …” (more)

[Dominic McGrath, University Times, 6 March]

“For the first time in years, we might see a possible strike inside the walls of Trinity. A ‘diktat’ from College, which will see an end to promotions for support and service staff and the introduction of temporary contracts for all new employees, has been heavily and rightly attacked by SIPTU, IFUT and UNITE …” (more)

[University Times, 22 January]

“Workers voice opposition to hiring and promotion policies alongside longstanding grievances. A meeting last Wednesday saw agreement between members of the Services Industrial Professional and Technical Union (SIPTU) and Unite trade unions to campaign in opposition to College hiring and promotion policies …” (more)

[Cathal Kavanagh, Trinity News, 17 January]

“It’s starting. When the penny drops and the incoming Government finds there is less money in the kitty than their manifesto promises were based on, the scramble for scarce resources will be on. And the scramble to have a go at public sector workers – that will be on, too …” (more)

[Michael Taft, Unite’s Notes On The Front, 11 April]

“Public sector representatives of trade union Unite have decided to recommend rejection of new Lansdowne Road pay agreement. At a meeting earlier today, they decided to reject the proposals which were negotiated at the end of May …” (more)

[BreakingNews.ie, 10 August]

“With the public sector pay negotiations getting underway, it is timely to step back from the details and look at the broader landscape. For it is clear: if the wage structure in the overall economy mirrored the wage structure in the public sector, we would have a more prosperous economy and society …” (more)

[Unite’s Notes On The Front, 18 May]