People Before Galway express solidarity with University of Galway PhDs, following the news of their unilateral pay cuts.
Speaking on the issue, local representative Adrian Curran explained why.
“In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, for the University to slash PhD workers’ pay is deeply concerning.
“As correctly pointed out by the Postgrad Workers Alliance (PGWA), PhD workers contribute considerably to the university, to the local economy, and to Ireland’s place as a leader in research.
“It is disappointing to see an institution that profited over €24 million last year alone looking for further measures to ensure these profits continue at the expense of students’ livelihoods. The commercialisation of third level is ensuring that student burnout and fatigue continue to worsen, as evidenced by University of Galway’s own figures released under FOI.
“Students across Ireland are already dealing with high costs of rent, insecure accommodation, and extremely long commutes. To now add to that a pay cut is completely unjustifiable and must be rectified immediately. I implore the workers of all sectors to ensure they have joined a trade union and reach out to said union if any issues arise.”