IFUT

Check out our latest article: 📢 New Letter in The Irish Times – Frank Jones, IFUT General Secretary linkedin.com/pulse/new-lett… via @LinkedIn

Good to meet @LauraHarmon01 @labour with our delegation — @paul_gavan @irishcongress, @FrankJones @IFUT, EdwardLahiff (UCC) & @JohnWalshDWest (TCD) — to discuss staff voice in university governance. The HEA Act leaves trade union reps out. That needs to change. #IFUT #HEAAct #Governance #HigherEd

"Since October, 2023, all university campuses in Gaza have been subject to intensive bombing, with dozens of buildings completely destroyed and many more irreparably damaged." irishtimes.com/ireland/educat…

“Researchers deserve more than short-term contracts. They deserve security, dignity, and a voice.” Inspiring words from IFUT’s Miriam Hamilton on the urgent need to transform researcher working conditions in Irish HE. 📖 Read more: ucc.ie/en/rsa/newssem… #Precarity #ResearchersRights #IFUT #HigherEd #AcademicUnion

IFUT welcomes the budget, which features a reduction in student fees— a positive step for students and families — but calls for urgent, sustained investment to properly fund higher education. 👉 ifut.ie/content/ifut-w… #HigherEd #EducationFunding #IFUT

📢 IFUT Pre-Budget Submission 2026 is out. Ireland’s higher education system is at breaking point. We’re calling for: ✅ €307m funding uplift ✅ Secure academic jobs ✅ A national sectoral forum ✅ PhD & career pathway reform 🔗 ifut.ie/content/ifut-p… #Budget2026 #highereducation

Great to see @JohnWalshDWest from the @IFUT_TCD branch presenting at the Trinity College induction day 📚👏 Joining IFUT means standing together for fairness, respect & better conditions in higher education. 👉 Apply here: ifut.ie/content/member… #IFUT #UnionStrong #HigherEd

The @forsa_union_ie school secretaries + caretakers campaign for pension equity has been incredibly positive + has huge public support This indefinite strike will see pickets from Monday could possibly lead to schools closing. Time for the Labour Court to intervene @irishcongress

No second-class staff! Equal pension rights for school secretaries & caretakers. IFUT backs @forsa_union_ie strike action. Solidarity across the union movement. 📢 ifut.ie/content/no-sec… @apike1

🚨 National Week of Action | Sept 1–7 🚨 Precarious work. No right to union recognition. No right to bargain. It’s not just unfair — it’s un-European. 🇪🇺 Join us in demanding real rights for workers. 📢 Sign the petition: respectatwork.ie @irishcongress @forsa_union_ie @siptu @MandateTU @UNITEunionIRE @TUIunion @ASTIunion @INTOnews #RespectAtWork #WorkersRights #PrecariousNoMore

📣 IFUT General Secretary Frank Jones Leads Key Meeting on Higher Education Issues Frank Jones, General Secretary of the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT), took part in a meeting yesterday with Deputy Erin McGreehan, Chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, alongside colleagues from the higher education group of unions. The discussion focused on issues affecting over 40,000 staff across the sector — including insecure employment, funding pressures, and the long-term impact of casualisation on both staff and students. Speaking at the meeting, Frank Jones emphasised: “Sustainable employment practices and proper investment in staff are essential to maintaining quality in higher education. We need long-term planning, not short-term solutions.” IFUT welcomed Deputy McGreehan’s engagement and reaffirmed its commitment to working constructively with all stakeholders to improve conditions across the sector. #IFUT #HigherEducation #FrankJones #WorkersRights #UnionSolidarity

At #ICTUBDC2025, IFUT President Dr Michael Hinds @notaprofessor moved a crucial motion calling for urgent public investment in higher education and protection of educators’ wellbeing. The message was clear: defend staff, defend democracy, act now. #HigherEd #AcademicFreedom #TradeUnions

🏘❗️Housing is a workers’ issue. The #RaiseTheRoof rally demands urgent action on Ireland’s housing & homelessness crisis. 📣 All out for housing! 🗓 Tues, June 17 | ⏰ 6pm 📍 Leinster House, Dublin Secure homes = secure lives. #HousingCrisis #UnionSolidarity

Our General Secretary @FrankJonesDGS attending the @EISUnion 179th AGM in Aviemore. Great to stand with our Scottish colleagues as they celebrate a year of progress and set priorities for the year ahead. ✊📚 #EISAGM #UnionSolidarity #EducationUnions

IFUT and AMLÉ Sign Historic MoU to Advance Staff-Student Solidarity in Higher Education The Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) has today signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn (AMLÉ), the national student union, in a powerful affirmation of unity across Ireland’s higher education sector. This agreement marks a significant step forward in formalising cooperation between academic staff and students, rooted in shared values of equity, dignity, and a commitment to publicly funded, high-quality education. The MoU outlines a framework for continued collaboration, including joint campaigning, policy engagement, and coordinated responses to issues impacting teaching, learning, and working conditions across the higher education sector. The alliance between IFUT and AMLÉ has already proved effective, most notably during recent actions such as the BIMM dispute, where staff and students stood shoulder to shoulder to demand better standards in education and fairer treatment for all members of the academic community. Miriam Hamilton, Deputy General Secretary of IFUT, said: “This Memorandum is more than a symbolic gesture—it is a shared commitment to solidarity and action. Staff and students are natural allies in the fight for a fairer, more inclusive education system. Together, we are stronger, and together we will continue to challenge the forces of marketisation and underfunding that threaten the public mission of our universities.” The agreement commits both organisations to ongoing dialogue, mutual support for campaigns, and a united front in resisting efforts to divide staff and students in pursuit of narrow, profit-driven agendas. In a time of increasing pressure on Ireland’s higher education institutions, this staff-student unity sends a clear and collective message: education must be protected as a public good and a fundamental right for all. ENDS

📅 June 4th – UN International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression. The ongoing conflict in Gaza has had a devastating impact on children, with many killed, injured, or displaced. The @irishcongress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has invited workers, unions, and employers to observe a one-minute moment of reflection at 1:05 PM on Tuesday, June 4th, to acknowledge all children affected by war and violence. ⚠️ This is not a work stoppage. Participation is voluntary and supported where appropriate. #June4 #UNDay #ChildVictimsDay #Gaza #IFUT #ICTU #PeaceForChildren

IFUT responds -@FrankJonesDGS- A short-term influx of talent is no substitute for long-term stability’: Frank Jones Frank Jones, general secretary of the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) We acknowledge minister Lawless’ ambition to attract additional leading experts in fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, climate science and semiconductor research to Ireland. These are sectors of immense importance for the future of our economy and society. But while the global talent initiative may open the door to international excellence, it risks slamming the door shut on Ireland’s own academic workforce if core issues continue to go unaddressed. We cannot expect Ireland to be a credible destination for global talent while our postgraduates and early-career researchers are subjected to some of the poorest stipend rates in Europe, precarious employment conditions, and a chronic lack of basic rights and benefits. We already have a pipeline to nowhere for many of our brightest minds. This is not just an economic issue; it’s a moral and professional one. Even if we attract international researchers, how do we expect them to stay if they face an impenetrable visa system and unaffordable living conditions in cities like Dublin and Galway? A short-term influx of talent is no substitute for long-term stability. Ireland has the potential to become a global leader in innovation and academic excellence. But leadership begins at home. Before we ask the world to come here, we must ensure we’re not driving our own talent away.

📢 Did you know @ifut is the only union in Ireland exclusively organising workers in Higher Education? Whether you're a lecturer, tutor, researcher, librarian or TA—IFUT is here to protect your rights. 💪 Join us: ifut.ie Because together, we are stronger. #HigherEd #IFUT #AcademicWork #UnionStrong