Research staff make case for equal pay
Workers from Tyndall National Institute at University College Cork made their case in a letter to European commissioner for research, innovation and science Máire Geoghegan Quinn, who attended an innovation conference at University College Cork yesterday.
The staff say some are paid one-third less than counterparts working elsewhere in the university, but the Labour Court ruled a year ago it could not support their claim because the Croke Park agreement does not allow cost-increasing awards.
While the centre produces world-leading technologies such as painless micro-needles and is working to produce the smallest, fastest microchips for smartphones and other devices, staff say this is not recognised in their pay.
Eoin Sheehan, a Tyndall researcher since 1995 and research convenor of UCC branch of the Irish Federation of University Teachers (Ifut), said an administration colleague earns €22,000 after 19 years’ service for a job paying €33,000 elsewhere in the college. Although not citing official figures, he said a middle-grade researcher at Tyndall receiving a €40,000 salary could be on €55,000 in another UCC centre.
“The Government are constantly saying science and research are vital to the knowledge economy and the way out of the recession is to get hi-tech companies into Ireland to collaborate with centres like Tyndall.
“But the message going out to potential researchers in colleges and schools is not good when people who are building the technology future are being discriminated against,” he said.
Mr Sheehan said over 75 of Tyndall’s 150-plus researchers took time off to highlight their case during yesterday’s Week of Innovative Regions in Europe (Wire) conference, attended by Research and Innovation Minister Sean Sherlock and Ms Geoghegan Quinn.
The Labour Court said in Mar 2012 it could not recommend the staff’s claim because of the Croke Park agreement, but it also found there should be no disparity in pay between two parts of the university for work of equal value.
