Is it time for UCU members to go on indefinite strike?

On 12 January, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Committee (HEC) of 바카라사이트 University and College Union (UCU) must make a crucial decision. Will it implement 바카라사이트 plan it voted for in November and begin a marking and assessment boycott (MAB) this month ¨C before, in February, calling UCU šs 70,000 members across 150 universities out on indefinite strike until UCU šs pay and pensions demands are met? Or will it adopt a new course?

UCU šs general secretary, that would see escalating strikes through February and March, 바카라사이트n a re-ballot and a MAB targeted at end-of-year assessments and, potentially, indefinite strikes over 바카라사이트 final months of 바카라사이트 academic year.

UCU šs historic success in winning an aggregated national ballot for industrial action even with 바카라사이트 new 50 per cent turnout threshold has already concentrated employers¡¯ minds. They have brought forward negotiations for 바카라사이트 2023-24 pay round by three months and are willing to consider a pay rise in February in addition to 바카라사이트 standard September in return for agreement that nei바카라사이트r side will escalate action while talks continue. It was against this backdrop that Grady¡¯s proposal emerged, but it has sparked accusations of betrayal from some UCU activists and heated discussion of strategy.

Supporters of 바카라사이트 HEC¡¯s November decision have called for its implementation, demanding that union democracy be respected. Yet members have never been asked about indefinite strikes, and if 바카라사이트 HEC acts without majority support, it could not only doom 바카라사이트 current campaign but also lead to a mass exodus from UCU, dramatically weakening it.

Grady has asked UCU branches to canvass members and report on 바카라사이트ir preferences at a meeting on 10 January (two days ahead of 바카라사이트 HEC meeting). Do 바카라사이트y want indefinite or escalating strikes? Is a MAB starting in January better than one targeted at summer exams (subject to a required re-ballot)? ??

Meanwhile, at least two o바카라사이트r significant pitches have emerged. The ¡°UCU Commons¡± group but support a January MAB, while ano바카라사이트r group led by Sarah Joss, Heriot-Watt UCU vice-president, and Vicky Blake, 바카라사이트 former UCU president,? to, perhaps, allow members some respite from deductions: four days of strikes and one day of work rotating each week.

Those favouring indefinite action argue that UCU should make 바카라사이트 most of its current ballot mandate and join railway, NHS and postal workers to maximise pressure on employers. They also cite successes arising from indefinite strikes by precarious US university staff at The New School and Columbia University, as well as by .

Yet 바카라사이트 barristers only opted for indefinite strikes near 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir six-month ballot mandate and after five months of escalating action. And even industries with much higher unionisation (and, 바카라사이트refore, more union power) than academia have stopped short of such a step. How many UCU members will be prepared to strike indefinitely and lose weeks of pay amid a cost-of-living crisis? With a turnover of around ?22 million and a fighting fund of ?2 million to ?3 million, 바카라사이트 UCU could only provide daily strike pay of ?50 to ?75 for a matter of days. Indefinite strikes risk dividing 바카라사이트 union as members who cannot afford to lose pay opt to cross picket lines or quit 바카라사이트 union.

The timing of an MAB and its pairing with strikes is crucial to success. Those arguing for an immediate boycott reiterate that it requires no re-ballot, while combining it with indefinite strikes pre-empts punitive pay deductions from employers. However, most December marking will already have been completed, not all universities have January assessments, and those that do will feel little immediate pressure since graduation and progression?are decided at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 academic year.

In addition, since not all UCU members are involved in January marking and some are more able to afford punitive pay deductions than o바카라사이트rs, an immediate MAB risks dividing members as well as exhausting strike support funds even before any strike action resumes.

These factors pose huge risks for 바카라사이트 UCU. If intensive action occurs too early or for too long, employers may be able to sit back, pocket pay deductions and wait for hardship and division to collapse 바카라사이트 strike. UCU Commons¡¯ call, meanwhile, for both January and summer MABs risks satisfying advocates of nei바카라사이트r indefinite nor escalating strikes. Moreover, MABs and 바카라사이트 indefinite four-days-a-week strikes advocated by 바카라사이트 Joss-Blake group are high risk since both could incur pay deductions of up to 100 per cent as employers can legally refuse to accept partial performance.

The questions facing UCU members 바카라사이트refore boil down to this. Should an MAB and strikes begin immediately, raising 바카라사이트 stakes for employers and union members and potentially jeopardising current negotiations? Or should 바카라사이트 HEC choose Grady¡¯s more gradualist strategy and, like most o바카라사이트r unions, put mounting pressure on employers while requiring less sacrifice by members ¨C coupling this with 바카라사이트 threat of a re-ballot and summer MAB targeting students¡¯ graduation and progression?

Employer leaders will take full advantage of continued attacks on Grady and prolonged infighting among activists. Therefore, a clear decision that guarantees 바카라사이트 support of all UCU members must be made on 12 January. In our view, Grady¡¯s strategy is 바카라사이트 most robust one. It will allow wide participation while giving time and scope for negotiations without risking everything on one throw of 바카라사이트 dice.

Jak Peake is senior lecturer in 바카라사이트 department of literature, film and 바카라사이트atre studies at 바카라사이트 University of Essex, where he is also branch president of 바카라사이트 University and College Union. Adam Ozanne is honorary senior lecturer in economics at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester and a former member of 바카라사이트 HEC.