ELECTED faculty and staff members of the University of Limerick's governing body, have reacted angrily to the Universities Bill published by the Government earlier this week, describing it as a "manipulator's charter".
They claim the Bill contains no electoral procedure for appointing staff to governing bodies with no guarantee of their appointment if any such election, is held and amends existing superannuation schemes.
The governors also note the Bill extends the power of hiring, suspension and dismissal to the governing body, which can then delegate these powers to the president.
They also claim the Bill offers no protection to staff in the event of privatisation and limits the governing body to a "rubber stamp" for management activities.
"The good intentioned elements of the Bill, such as improved access and possible gender balance in the future, are swamped by the undemocratic nature and the other defects in measures contained in the Bill. The Bill is, in effect, a manipulator's charter", said a governors statement.
Their views on staff conditions are similar to those expressed earlier this week by the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT), which said the proposed legislation would mean a serious deterioration in the conditions of employment.
Earlier this year, 409 members of the University of Limerick's faculty and staff signed a petition expressing serious concern about the effects of the proposed legislation, claiming it would give too much power to the university president.
A spokesperson for the Department of Education said the Bill did change the provisions for hiring and firing in Limerick. Previously the Minister for Education had a "hugely intrusive power" in such matters and the Bill was designed to put the former NIHEs on the same basis as other universities.
On superannuation, the Department spokesperson said the statutory controls on superannuation would have a greater effect on other universities.
The president of the students' union in the University of Limerick, Mr Seamus Doran, has also criticised the Bill, claiming that it could reduce student representation at governing body level.