Staff at Dundalk IT to ballot for industrial action

The threat of a strike by lecturers and staff is looking more likely at Dundalk Institute of Technology, following confirmation that members of the Dundalk IT Branch of the TUI are currently balloting for industrial action.

The Dundalk Democrat contacted the chairperson of the Dundalk IT Branch of the TUI, Kenneth Sloane, to find out why the trade union is taking this route.

Mr Sloane confirmed that the union has been in discussions with Institute management, in an attempt to "resolve serious difficulties arising from understaffing."

He said, "We have repeatedly asked management to plan for and conduct staff recruitment to replace members leaving service due to retirement or maternity leave and other factors, since last May.

"These requests for staff recruitment have not been meet with appropriate and timely action from Dundalk IT Senior Management, and have resulted in serious disruption to the delivery of modules to students this semester, which include classes not being delivered for weeks in certain modules due to the failure to replace staff in specific skills areas.

"The failure to recruit necessary staff has also lead to overcrowding in practical classes which denies students access to learning resources and equipment.

Mr Sloane continued, "In order to protect the academic quality of the programmes delivered in DkIT, of which staff are extremely proud and have maintained to a high standards despite years of under resourcing, members of the DkIT Branch of the TUI are currently balloting for industrial action, up to and including strike action, on the issue of the failure of DkIT Senior Management to plan and conduct the necessary recruitment to ensure programmes can be delivered fully and students get the compete education to which they are entitled."

The Dundalk Democrat contacted the Institute for a comment on the TUI decision to ballot for industrial action. The response from DkIT was as follows:

“We can confirm that the Institute remains firmly committed to the delivery of the highest quality of education to our students at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

"We continue to work together as an Institute to ensure that the welfare and success of our students and staff is prioritised at all times.

"This is central to our core mission to support the continued economic, social and cultural development of the North Leinster-South Ulster region on the Belfast-Dublin corridor.”

The Students Union at DkIT was also contacted to find out if it would be supporting the industrial action by the TUI members but the SU is yet to reply.