A UNION representing third-level teaching staff has said clarifications provided last week on the Croke Park deal on public service reform are insufficient to make it change its recommendation on the agreement.
The Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) said the unanimous view of its executive was that the clarifications, drawn up by the Labour Relations Commission, did not “provide any basis to revise our earlier strong recommendation for a rejection of the Croke Park proposals”.
Union general secretary Mike Jennings said in a bulletin issued to members yesterday that no clarification of any nature was provided directly to his union in response to its specific concerns.
“The specific aspects of the ‘Croke Park proposals’ which we have highlighted was the threat posed to job contracts by the unlimited, open-ended commitment demanded of us that we put these on the table for negotiations – negotiations from which we could not withdraw as they would be ‘final’.
“The ‘clarification’ document which was issued to the public sector unions generally last week confirms that there is no change to the present wording regarding ‘dispute resolution’. In other words, we must assume that a ‘final’ outcome must mean ‘final and binding’. We simply cannot accept such a high risk that we could see fundamental changes being imposed to our employment contracts by ‘final’ arbitration.”
Mr Jennings said last week the chief executive of the Higher Education Authority had made a speech calling for fundamental changes to contracts in the higher education sector.
He said at the weekend the Sunday Business Posthad revealed a secret Department of Education memo calling for the closing of departments, while a separate strategy group was also reported to be considering the provision of new employment contracts, the ending of a number of programmes and courses, and more effective monitoring of staff.
“In view of all of the above, I once again repeat that we are urging all members to vote to reject the Croke Park proposals,” he said.
The union has said that it will not be bound by a majority decision on the Croke Park deal when it is considered formally by the public services committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) when it meets following the completion of individual union ballots.
So far, the executive committees of eight public service unions have recommended that their members should reject the pay and reform deal.
However, the unions with the largest number of public service members, Impact and Siptu, are backing the agreement.