A group of senior lecturers at Munster Technological University, who are members of the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI), are due to begin industrial action in a dispute over new duties and titles.
The action will be taken by TUI members who are Senior Lecturer 3 (SL3) Heads of School/Faculty, and will take the form of a suite of directives.
This will involve members refusing to undertake new or additional roles, refusing to adopt any new titles and refusing to respond to any communication which is addressed using new titles.
The TUI said this may be escalated in the future, after members voted in favour of industrial action, up to and including strike action.
The union has accused MTU of unilaterally imposing new duties and titles on staff without agreement from the TUI.
"The imposition of new duties and the rebranding of SL3 Heads of School/Faculty as 'vice deans’ without agreement is unacceptable," said TUI Assistant General Secretary Colm Kelly.
"These changes undermine the principles of meaningful engagement and the shared vision for the Technological University sector," Mr Kelly said.
MTU said that the change is part of the implementation of a new organisational structure which is local to MTU and only affects eleven individuals with no impact on any other colleagues.
The university said that the vice deans’ area of responsibility is in line with their existing duties, add that the staff members will see no change to their terms and conditions of work, grades or salaries.
"MTU regrets the TUI’s decision to take industrial action which will impact the efficiency of the delivery of the new Faculty structures for all students and staff," a spokesperson said.
"MTU embarked on an extensive consultation process on the vice dean positions including detailed collective and staff meetings with affected individuals over the last six months."
"MTU fully respects the TUI and its members rights to take industrial action, and is available to engage in industrial relations dispute resolution mechanisms to resolve this matter for the benefit of our students, staff and our community," MTU said.
