THE TEACHERS' Union of Ireland has warned of industrial action by institute of technology lecturers amid growing concern about lack of funding.
The union is set to ballot for industrial action at its conference, which begins in Wexford tomorrow . The union says the proposed action comes amid increasing concern among institute of technology (IT) staff about the lack of funds for laboratory and workshop activities for undergraduate programmes.
The union is also concerned about overcrowding in lecture rooms and workshops, and fears that the IT sector may be unable to honour national pay agreements. It also raised concerns about the drift of many ITs towards the university sector. The Government is now considering applications for university status from Dublin Institute of Technology and institutes in Waterford and Cork.
The teachers' union general secretary Peter MacMenamin said: "Institutes have frequently advised the union that they do not have the funds available to implement industrial relations agreements, whether they be Labour Court recommendations or any other agreements. This is unacceptable and the forthcoming TUI congress will almost certainly vote to take industrial action on the non-implementation of a recent Labour Court recommendation."
Four years have passed, he said, since an OECD review of higher education said a "quantum leap" in funding was required to allow the Republic to compete with international competitors. Many institutes of technology received a mere 1 per cent increase in funds this year. This is effectively a major cut in funding, he said, as this is significantly behind inflation, and is also intended to cover the pay increases to all staff under the national agreements.
He said the level of funding available to institutes of technology from the Higher Education Authority and from other sources for teaching and research activities is excessively low by comparison with other higher education institutes in this State and abysmal by international comparison.
He asked: "Where is the funding for the world-class higher education that we aspire to? This lack of funds means that frequently when materials need to be acquired they cannot, or when equipment needs to be replaced or updated it cannot be. It forces larger class groupings and reduced access of those in need to the resources of the institutes."
The union also reiterated its policy that any move by an institute of technology towards university status should not result in a drift from the original mission of provision of apprenticeship and technological courses.
Responding to the recommendation in the 2004 OECD report on higher education that there be no further institutional transfers to the university sector, the union stated: "A major strength of the institute of technology sector, in the emergent context of lifelong learning, is that, in addition to degree and post-graduate courses, they provide courses at certificate and diploma level, and have a developed expertise in apprentice education. This should continue, irrespective of the institutional aspirations of any particular institute."
The TUI says it will oppose any withdrawal by an institute from the broad range of course levels currently provided, but would welcome further development of courses at degree, postgraduate and doctoral levels while continuing to pursue the original mission of provision of apprenticeship and technological courses.