Colleges vote on industrial action over merger plan
The governing bodies of Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and Institute of Technology Tralee (ITT) are sticking to the timeframe to formalise their merger sometime in the second half of 2016 after discussing the issue at special meetings on Wednesday.
In a report last December by international experts, who approved their submission on progressing towards possible technological university (TU) status, they were pressed to speed up the merger process.
But under threat of industrial action by Teachers’ Union of Ireland members if the merger was progressed, the boards did not adopt that recommendation.
“We are adhering to the original timescale, which would see a merger taking place in second half of 2016,” a spokesperson for the Munster TU project told the Irish Examiner.
Despite the boards not following the expert panel recommendation, ballots of Teachers’ Union of Ireland members at both colleges are proceeding.
Voting by the union’s college branch members at ITT began yesterday, with a similar ballot scheduled among over 500 members at CIT on Wednesday, after which the results of both will be announced.
They are being asked to approve action to include non-cooperation with merger activities, work-to-rule, and possible strikes, in the event of the colleges continuing with the merger despite both branches’ opposition.
A spokesman for the Teachers’ Union of Ireland said the concerns had been around the possibility of the governing bodies trying to arrive at a binding agreement to merge. But the union is satisfied that they simply reaffirmed a non-binding understanding signed last year.
“TUI welcomes the fact that undue haste was not exercised by agreeing a binding merger. The issue of lack of consultation must be addressed, and the lack of trust and confidence by our members in this process must also be addressed,” he said.
The union has initiated a dispute on the process with the colleges at the Labour Relations Commission in the last few weeks.
A final application for TU status was never planned before 2017, and government policy requiring the merger of two or more institutes of technology before such an application can be lodged has yet to be put into law.
In a joint statement, the CIT and ITT governing bodies said the Munster TU would see increases in the current combined numbers of 12,323 students and 1,282 staff.
The union’s Cork colleges branch vice-chair June O’Reilly said that did not allay staff’s concerns about mergers and rationalisation.
“We’re very pleased they didn’t go ahead with fast-tracking a merger. But passing the ballots will mean we’re ready for industrial action unless our concerns are taken seriously,” she said.
The colleges said their individual success has been achieved due to the talent, commitment, and hard work of their employees, whose efforts over many years have put them in a position to seek TU status.
“Considering the nature and scale of the proposal to establish the Munster TU, it is inevitable that there will be some concerns on the part of our employees. To help address these concerns, we pledge that thorough and inclusive consultation will continue to take place throughout the merger process,” their statement said.
“Furthermore, we would like to reassure our staff that the Munster TU will continue to honour nationally negotiated contracts and national agreements with respect to the terms and conditions of staff.”
Earlier this week, Teachers’ Union of Ireland branches at Institute of Technology Carlow and Waterford Institute of Technology said they remain opposed to the requirement for colleges to merge before a TU application is made.
They had met with Michael Kelly, former Higher Education Authority chairman, who was appointed by Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan late last year to consult stakeholders at both colleges after WIT withdrew from a planned merger to form a TU for the south-east.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
