SIPTU members in UCD vote in favour of hybrid work policy

SIPTU members employed across all grades in University College Dublin (UCD) have voted overwhelmingly to accept a deal between Union representatives and management which introduces a hybrid work policy that reflects the university’s needs.

SIPTU Organiser, Cathie Shiels, said: “This new hybrid work agreement was secured following negotiations at the Workplace Relations Commission between UCD senior management, SIPTU and the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT).

“The revised hybrid work policy secures a balance between work in the office and remotely.

“Our members have been clear throughout this process that hybrid working supports staff wellbeing, reduces unnecessary commuting and still delivers for the university.

“That kind of flexibility is good for morale, good for team cohesion and good for work-life balance.

“Hybrid work is the future. It can only work properly when it’s built on trust and practical sense, not rigid rules.

2During the SIPTU campaign in UCD to push back against attempts to cut back on hybrid arrangements in an arbitrary manner, a significant number of staff joined the Union to defend their improved working practices.”

She added: “It was through this increase in membership and the resolve of our existing members that management was brought to the negotiating table.

“What emerged was an agreement supported by all sides that gives local managers the discretion to organise their teams in ways that meet both operational needs and staff wellbeing.”

Chair of the SIPTU Section Committee in UCD, Claire Nolan, said: “This is a successful conclusion to a Union campaign which arose from an attempt by management to roll back hybrid working arrangements that had been established in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“For workers who could avail themselves of these arrangements, nearly all felt that the arrangements provided a significantly better work-life balance with no loss of productivity.

“Now we have a collective agreement that acknowledges the reality of campus life: the busy spells, the quieter windows and the value of giving managers room to make sensible decisions.”