Study shows ‘alarming levels’ of precarious employment within higher education

One-third of respondents to a survey carried out by the Irish Federation of University Teachers feel that their employer does not treat them with dignity and respect. File Picture.

Academic staff on precarious employment contracts are working unpaid overtime, experiencing elevated levels of stress, and are considering leaving academia, according to a new survey.

The survey of more than  550 academics, including lecturers and researchers in third-level institutions across the country, found that almost one third (32%) were employed on fixed-term or hourly-paid casual contracts.