Lecturers in institutes of technology have voted in large numbers to begin a campaign of industrial action over “unsustainable” workloads. Any repudiation of the pay deal by a trade union risks triggering pay freezes and potential losses. Two so-called “flex hours” were introduced for lecturers under the Croke Park and subsequent national agreements . The union maintains that delivery of this additional lecturing hour, as well as giving rise to unsustainable workload, has also significantly impaired services to students. She said hours – 16 for lecturers and 18 for assistant lecturers – have “long been far above international norms”.

Source: The Irish Times April 19, 2018 16:18 UTC