Government must act before university staff walk out
Government must act before university staff walk out - The Labour Party
- IFUT members vote 92.5% for industrial action
- Labour calls on Government to bring forward a credible pay offer
Labour further and higher education spokesperson Senator Laura Harmon has reiterated calls for Government to bring forward a credible public sector pay offer after members of the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) voted 92.5% in favour of industrial action. University staff plan a one-hour work stoppage early next month unless Government takes action to resolve the dispute over a new pay agreement.
Senator Harmon said:
“A 92.5% vote is a clear warning. University staff have joined a growing number of public servants who feel Government is leaving them with no choice but to take industrial action. They teach our students, carry out vital research and keep our universities running. Ministers need to listen to them.
“The last Public Service Agreement expired at the end of June. Nearly three months later, staff still have no credible offer that would allow meaningful negotiations to begin. They need a deal that protects their living standards and gives them certainty about their pay.
“A stoppage would affect students as well as staff. Nobody wants that, and Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael still have time to prevent it. They must stop waiting for this dispute to escalate. They should engage with the unions and put a credible pay proposition on the table now.”