Staff at the students' union at Trinity College, Dublin, have voted for strike action after being told they will not be paid a 5.5 per cent pay rise due under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. They are also awaiting payment of incremental salary increases due since last October.
Industrial action could affect a range of services for TCD's 15,000 students, including two low-cost shops on campus, accommodation and employment services, and a travel agency. The dispute comes as the students' union itself has begun a boycott of TCD catering services, because college authorities have increased prices by 12.5 per cent.
The students' union is pleading inability to pay for the salary increase. Its president, Ms Averil Power, said last year's financial accounts showed a deficit of £10,000, after a £69,000 surplus in 1999. "Our Treasurer has advised that were we to continue our current expenditure levels, we would finish the present year with a deficit of £66,000."
She said staff had been paid £15,000 "on top of their PPF entitlement" last year and the student union's entertainment budget had been exceeded by £20,000. Full-time elected union officers were also facing a pay freeze, Ms Power said.
Entertainment expenditure was being cut to one third of last year's level.
But SIPTU representative Mr Jack McGinley said there were no apparent spending cutbacks for freshers' week, at the beginning of term, or other activities to date. "Most of our members are married, with kids and a mortgage to support," he said.
Originally the college provided administrative support for the students' union but it had asked for independent funding to preserve its autonomy. Staff were now funded from the capitation grant of £225,000.