'Missed opportunity' to help fixed-term staff

The Association of University Teachers has accused the Northern Ireland Assembly of missing an opportunity by simply following the rest of the UK on fixed-term contracts.

Legislation came into force this week giving fixed-term staff the right to equal treatment with permanent staff doing the same work. Carmel Hanna, Northern Ireland's minister for employment and learning, said: "If someone is employed on a string of successive fixed-term contracts for four or more years, their contract will be treated as permanent." The AUT has been pressing for the assembly to reduce this to two years.