A local TD says there just can’t have been enough consultation with staff in IT Carlow about the merger with WIT.
On Thursday, staff members of the TUI voted to reject the terms of an agreement that was reached between Waterford and Carlow IT and the union itself.
KCLR News understands the problem that TUI members in Carlow have centres around annual leave entitlements – that they would get less than their Waterford counterparts.
Deputy Kathleen Funchion says it’s an understandable gripe to have.
Meanwhile, WIT’s Teachers Union of Ireland members voted overwhelmingly in favour of the agreement and a fresh statement issued to KCLR on Friday evening reads:
“On Thursday, 20 June 2019, academic staff at Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) demonstrated their optimism for the technological university (TU) with the resounding endorsement of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in a Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) ballot.
WIT, IT Carlow and the TUI at both institutes have worked towards the development of a MoU for the technological university. This MoU was put to both TUI branches earlier this week, and the TUI at WIT accepted the MoU with 92.7% in favour.
This endorsement by the TUI at WIT marks a significant step forward in the delivery of a TU for the region, and follows a long process of engagement with staff and unions.
The level of support WIT academic staff have given the MoU this week is a statement of the institute’s commitment to the technological university process.
A university is more than a set of buildings. It’s made up of students, and academic, admin and support staff. Collective engagement is vital for delivering a technological university, and to date there has been a lot of work and collaboration taking place in the background with staff and union input.
We would like to thank each and every person across the institute who has played a part in the TU process to date.
We believe that staff in both institutes are committed to delivering a university and we will continue working with our staff, unions, stakeholders and partner IT Carlow in achieving a technological university of international standing that will deliver for the south east.
ENDS”
