The Strike Ballot
I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT), of which I am a member, was planning a ballot on industrial action. The reason for the ballot is that the Public Service Agreement, covering pay and working conditions for all public service workers in Ireland, lapsed at the end of June this year (2026) and there is currently no pay settlement for the second half of this year or next year. Salaries have fallen behind inflation under the existing Agreement and some important commitment have not yet been implemented. The Government does not give the impression of being serious about negotiations on these matters.
The ballot opened today, September 1st 2026, and as soon as the link for the electronic vote arrived in my inbox I clicked it and voted ‘YES’, i.e. in favour of industrial action.
Similar ballots are taking place across all the public service unions. Yesterday, it was revealed that Ireland’s largest public sector union, SIPTU, has voted 98% in favour of industrial action. Today it was announced that 96 per cent of the union Fórsa had voted similarly. I hope the IFUT result – and results from the other relevant unions – is as strong.
If it comes to industrial action – which I hope it does not – then such action will be coordinated across the public sector.
P.S. Solidarity to former colleagues at Nottingham University as they take industrial action over job losses resulting from its proposed “restructuring”.
September 24, 2026 at 4:02 pm
IFUT Strike Days
A few weeks ago, I posted the following item about a strike ballot of members of the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT):
↬telescoper.blog/2026/09/01/the-strike-ballot/
The IFUT ballot has now closed, with the result an overwhelming majority (92.5%) in favour of industrial action, up to and including strike action. For more details see here. The planned strikes have already generated some press reaction:
Unless the Government changes its position and starts negotiating very soon, the next steps will be as follows:
Monday, 5 October: one-hour work stoppage from 12 noon – 1pmWednesday, 14 October: 24-hour strike action and full withdrawal of labour; Wednesday, 21 October: 24-hour strike action and full withdrawal of labour.
The first of these dates, 5th October, is World Teachers’ Day. I will be on strike on the following two days. That means the lectures I would have had on these days will not happen. I am sorry for the disruption this will cause to students’ education, but current situation is intolerable. The ball is in the Government’s court.
Other campus unions (Unite, SIPTU and TEEU) will be striking too, and over the next couple of weeks or so plans will be made as to how to coordinate picket lines, etc, with them. This dispute involves all the public services in Ireland, including schools and hospitals.
P.S. UCU members at Nottingham University are taking industrial action. You can support them by contributing to their hardship fund here.
#IFUT #IndustrialAction #IrishFederationOfUniversityTeachers #StrikeAction
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