What is PWO?
The PWO is the single national union for postgraduate researchers in Ireland. It advocates for better working conditions for postgraduate researchers including better pay, protective leave and residency rights for non-EU researchers. The PWO is a result of a merger between two groups that were previously active in this space, the Postgraduate Workers Alliance of Ireland (PGWAI) and the Postgraduate Collective Action Union (PCAU). Given the groups similar goals and interests, they decided to merge into a new entity to better represent postgraduate researchers in Ireland. Membership of the PWO is open to all postgraduate researchers.
What are the goals of this group?
The goals of this group, going into the review and beyond, are to transition to an employment model for PhD researchers with a common regulatory framework. Our central document, the
Fair Postgraduate Researcher Agreement (FRA), is available for all to see, and has been sent to more than 800 stakeholders across the academic and political spheres.
What does it mean to be a friend of the PWO?
Being a friend of PWO means that you support our goals in improving the rights of postgraduate researchers. Being a friend is completely free, and allows us to keep in touch with you on our campaigns to improve the welfare of postgraduate researchers across Ireland.
Being a postgraduate researcher is difficult - none of us are earning above the minimum wage, and all of us are overworked and short of time. Ireland is an expensive country, and has some of the worst stipend provision in the EU. At the same time, the
review of higher education in Ireland presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to overhaul the chronically underfunded higher education system and make our lives more liveable. The PWO committees across the country want to build an organisation for researchers that can put the weight of our interests and allies behind one strong cohesive union, and deliver meaningful change to all of our members.
Being a friend of the PWO means that you put your weight behind us as representatives of the postgraduate researcher community going into the review and the further future. It means that, when it comes to it, we stand together to work for a better future for postgraduate researchers.
Who can become a friend of the PWO?
Anyone! If you are an alumni of a PhD program, an undergraduate student or a member of faculty you are particularly welcome to become a friend and support us. If you are a posrgraduate researcher, you might be more interested in
becoming a member of PWO.
You can find PWO and all constituent branches on Twitter:
