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ACADEMIC STAFF HAVE voted in favour of industrial action a dispute in technological universities.
The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI), which represents a total of 4,600 academic staff, announced today that 92% of members polled in a ballot have voted in favour of taking industrial action, up to and including a strike.
The dispute centres around pay and working conditions at technological universities around the country and a collective agreement concerning the functioning of the institutions.
The union says that the Department of Further and Higher Education and institute management have not kept to an agreement made in 2017 around the establishment of technological universities, which replaced institutes of technologies.
TUI President David Waters has said that regional variations in pay and conditions across technological universities are unacceptable to the union.
He said the outcome of the vote “shows the depth of feeling on this critical issue”.
“The TU sector must continue to have nationally agreed terms and conditions for all the grades represented by the TUI and for any proposed new grades within the scope of the union,” he said.
He accused the department’s approach of being an “attempt to dismantle the sector (which is protected by the agreement) and to force through a desire to have each TU free to operate separately, without regard or recourse to national negotiation”.
“The agreement provided for retention of the sector – previously the Institute of Technology sector and thenceforth the Technological University sector – and for prior meaningful communication, consultation and, where appropriate, negotiation with the TUI on relevant matters. It also specifically provides for a national review of lecturing,” Waters said.
“The TUI has a proven track record, negotiating at national level, in establishing and protecting the terms and conditions for members in the higher education institutions in our sector. Our members accepted the 2017 agreement in good faith in a national ballot.
“Options open to the Union will be assessed by the Executive Committee, and in the meantime we urge DFHERIS to engage meaningfully with us on these key issues.”
The Department of Further and Higher Education has previously said it does not accept it has breached any agreement and that it has engaged with the TUI on the reform of the TU sector.
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Surly now we need to follow the example of Canada and Germany etc and offer all people under 60 the option of receiving either Pfizer, moderna or j and j instead of AZ . Hopefully this poor woman will pull through
@Mike Kelly: ( Pfizer & Moderna ) vs ( AstraZeneca)
Pfizer & Moderna have 95% efficacy + 2nd dose in 4 weeks + more effective on various strains + safer. Whereas AstraZeneca has only 62% efficacy + 2nd dose in 12 weeks + does not cover SA and Brazil strains + less safe.
When there is an obvious big difference in these 2 vaccines – It seems Pfizer costs more but is also the far better vaccine as per reports. Although some other countries have banned AstraZeneca including UK with restrictions, why is Ireland still sticking with this AstraZeneca vaccine? Why is there such inequality in vaccination rollout and why is Ireland treating some citizens differently? Why are the already vulnerable, high risk & immune suppressed people being given this risky & less effective AstraZeneca vaccine? Can’t understand the logic… As we have waited over 1 year by now, then I would rather wait another few more days and get the safer & more effective Pfizer/Moderna/J&J vaccine.
@Mike Kelly: Pfizer & Moderna Vs AstraZeneca
Pfizer & Moderna have 95% efficacy + 2nd dose in 4 weeks + more effective on various strains + safer. Whereas AstraZeneca has only 62% efficacy + 2nd dose in 12 weeks + does not cover SA and Brazil strains + less safe.
When there is an obvious big difference in these 2 vaccines – It seems Pfizer costs more but is also the far better vaccine as per reports. Although some other countries have banned AstraZeneca including UK with restrictions, why is Ireland still sticking with this AstraZeneca vaccine? Why is there such inequality in vaccination rollout and why is Ireland treating some citizens differently? Why are the already vulnerable, high risk & immune suppressed people being given this risky & less effective AstraZeneca vaccine? Can’t understand the logic… As we have waited over 1 year by now, then I would rather wait another few more days and get the safer & more effective Pfizer/Moderna/J&J vaccine.
@Paul Mahony: exactly what I’ve been wondering, it’s been about protecting the most vulnerable but not with the most efficient vaccine apparently, hopefully the strains it doesn’t offer protection don’t keep increasing. Basically government willing to risk a few dangerous clots than have Covid figures increase and because of the constant giving out about slow rollout they seem obsessed about the the numbers lately and if that means AZ so be it!
Was reading about it there on a different site and it says she has been in the stroke ward for a week, it was her sister who contacted the paper so otherwise when would the public have been told as they said up to today there was none here.
@Niamh Brady: if someone had a reaction to flu jab which also happens would you expect to read it in paper or on news, her sister jumped on the bandwagon and there is not 100% prove she got clot because of vaccine yet
@nelliekel: She is a healthcare worker, perfectly healthy and was sick since day after getting the jab, I think it’s pretty obvious. Now she can’t return to work for 3 months at least and not be left alone for six weeks as needs observation. 1 case is 1 to many as far as I am concerned. Also don’t presume sister jumping on bandwagon, she just wanted to let people know anonymously as government said no cases reported yet.
@nelliekel: they could have said she had a blood clot WITH the vaccine or confirmed to have been vaccinated. not FROM the vaccine..that the safe way out
@Niamh Brady: a lot of healthy people get slight flu symptoms from each of the vaccines, it’s quite a leap to go from there to a serious rare blood clot, so no, it’s not really pretty obvious
Hope she makes a full recovery. I am 61 and recovering from cancer and due to get that vaccine on Tuesday so I will follow my doctors advice and the science and go forward with the vaccine.
Hope she is ok, poor woman.
Blood clots % risk vs 1 to 2% chance of being affected by a flu like virus, everything in life is gambling
@Hugo Bugo: It’s not like there’s no other alternatives available. It doesn’t have to be a gamble for those at risk of clots from AZ. Like Germany, Nerherlands, Canada, a decision could be made to give people under 55/60 one of the other vaccines
A few countries don’t vaccinate with AZ under 60 anymore. The UK don’t vaccinate under 30 with AZ for the moment.
Hope she is ok, nightmare for the poor woman.
@Niamh Brady: article says she has been successfully treated and will be discharged in the coming days. Still must have been a nightmare all the same.
I hope that woman in the Mater recovers well.
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