BIMM says "no compulsory redundancies will be made" as agreement with lecturers is reached

BIMM and its lecturers in Dublin have agreed on a new proposal. The deal, announced by The British and Irish Modern Music Institute on Wednesday, states that no redundancies will be made and that 20 lecturers will be offered "permanent, salaried roles, providing financial stability and job security."

"Students and lecturers are at the heart of BIMM," the statement read. "We are pleased that this revised agreement means that students will continue to benefit from engagement with the lecturers that they hold in high regard.

"We recognise that students have had to navigate uncertainty in recent weeks, and we will continue to prioritise their experience and address concerns they may have. We are committed to working towards a resolution that prioritises students’ best interests and minimises further impact on their learning experience."

As well as scrapping the redundancies, BIMM say "all lecturers will be offered the opportunity to remain on their current contracts with the same terms they currently enjoy", and that "Nobody is being forced to reapply for their jobs or to move onto different contracts."

There will also be an increase in hourly rates for hourly paid lecturers and  "greater flexibility in contracts to respect and support lecturers’ industry commitments outside of BIMM."

The deal comes after lecturers had taken strike action over fears that as many as 35 permanent positions might be lost. They were joined outside BIMM's Liberties premises by members of the student body who'd circulated a petition supporting the lecturers. The matter was brought to the Dáil by TDs, and there were also words of solidarity from BIMM alumni Fontaines D.C. and The Murder Capital.

Read BIMM's statement in full below:

Following positive and constructive discussions with lecturers, BIMM Dublin is pleased to announce that we have reached an agreement with lecturers on our revised proposal.

The key elements of the revised proposal:

· · No compulsory redundancies will be made

· · All lecturers will be offered the opportunity to remain on their current contracts with the same terms they currently enjoy

· · Nobody is being forced to reapply for their jobs or to move onto different contracts

Elements from the original proposal being taken forward:

· · 20 lecturers will be offered permanent, salaried roles, providing financial stability and job security

· · An increase in hourly rates for hourly paid lecturers

· · Greater flexibility in contracts to respect and support lecturers’ industry commitments outside of BIMM

Planned industrial action will no-longer take place as a result.

Students and lecturers are at the heart of BIMM. We are pleased that this revised agreement means that students will continue to benefit from engagement with the lecturers that they hold in high regard.

We recognise that students have had to navigate uncertainty in recent weeks, and we will continue to prioritise their experience and address concerns they may have. We are committed to working towards a resolution that prioritises students’ best interests and minimises further impact on their learning experience.