University lecturers reject Croke Park deal

THE UNION representing university and college lecturers has rejected the Croke Park deal on public service pay and reform.

In a ballot result announced yesterday, members of the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) opposed the Croke Park proposals by a margin of about two to one.

Just under 40 per cent of IFUT’s 2,055 members took part in the ballot. A total of 32.32 per cent accepted the Croke Park deal while 67.68 per cent rejected it.

The executive of the union had urged rejection of the agreement.

The general secretary of IFUT Mike Jennings said the ballot result reflected “the strong determination of our members not to have their job contracts put forward for binding arbitration”.

Mr Jennings said that IFUT would not be bound by the outcome of a majority vote on the Croke Park deal when it was considered by the public services committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Union next month, following the completion of the ballots by individual unions.

Last Friday, members of two other teaching unions, the ASTI and the TUI, voted to reject the Croke Park deal while members of the INTO accepted the agreement in a ballot.