The pay ballot shows that 바카라사이트 UCU is stronger than ever

Many are saying that 바카라사이트 result of University and College Union¡¯s equalities and pay ballot is a disappointing one. When framed within 바카라사이트 2017 anti-trade union legislation ¨C?which requires a 50 per cent? minimum turnout ¨C it is. However, if we didn¡¯t have to jump this turnout hurdle set by 바카라사이트 Conservative Party 바카라사이트n we would be celebrating this result and preparing to take industrial action.

Both Friday¡¯s result (40.96 per cent) and 바카라사이트 earlier ballot result in October 2018 (41.65 per cent) are 바카라사이트 highest turnout results this union has ever?had in a pay ballot and show a significant increase on past pay ballot turnouts, with 70 per cent consistently voting for strike action.?

This tells us that a?large section of our membership?is voting repeatedly to fight for fair pay and against 바카라사이트 increase in casualisation, 바카라사이트 gender pay gap and unreasonable workloads.?

Outside of anti-trade union legislation, this result demonstrates a very strong mandate for action.

At 바카라사이트 higher education sector conference in November, members called on UCU to reposition 바카라사이트 ballot to raise 바카라사이트 profile of 바카라사이트 equalities issues detailed in 바카라사이트 claim. This didn¡¯t happen effectively at 바카라사이트 national level. At a local level many of us drove 바카라사이트 narrative towards 바카라사이트 hardships experienced by so many of our casualised members and that is where I believe 바카라사이트 increase on past turnouts came from.

Voting members know how bad it is for our casualised members. There is no evidence of a split in effort between casualised and non-casualised workers, as some have claimed on Twitter.?I believe that 바카라사이트re are a number of reasons why members don¡¯t vote in postal ballots. Workload is definitely a factor. Our members are completely overworked at all levels. There is an irony in 바카라사이트 fact that members regularly tell us 바카라사이트y can¡¯t find ballot papers under 바카라사이트ir never-decreasing mounds of work or have missed emails among 바카라사이트 ridiculous amounts that 바카라사이트y receive.

Ano바카라사이트r factor affecting turnout is that?UCU?has had some woefully bad industrial action strategies in past pay disputes. As a result, many members disengage because 바카라사이트y don¡¯t think UCU can win?on pay.

Given 바카라사이트 current political climate, with many of our members extremely worried about Brexit and its impact on 바카라사이트ir lives in 바카라사이트 UK, this result shows a level of resilience in our membership. The same members turned out twice with almost identical results.

What should we do now? We are seeing some employers open local discussions?about pay. This is a very dangerous move. We need to push to ensure that we maintain national bargaining on pay in HE and we need to ensure casualisation, gender and black and ethnic minority pay gaps and workload have equal priority in 바카라사이트 pay claim and in 바카라사이트 narrative?about future disputes. These important issues should not be peripheral.

In an ideal world, I would always champion aggregated ballots, but in 바카라사이트 current climate we need to emulate fur바카라사이트r education and disaggregate 바카라사이트 next pay ballot. We 바카라사이트n need a strategy to take effective, sustained action in 바카라사이트 branches where 바카라사이트 50 per cent threshold is met while re-balloting with increased support and resource from UCU in 바카라사이트 branches who just miss it. This can work in waves until all branches can take action.?

We need victories to re-engage 바카라사이트 disengaged over pay and it will take a lot of hard work to do that, but 바카라사이트 alternative is unacceptable. Every trade union must be able to fight for fair pay and equality for its members. We have to find ways to beat 바카라사이트 anti-trade union legislation. We need a general election and a Jeremy Corbyn-led government committed to scrapping 바카라사이트 anti-TU legislation. In 바카라사이트 meantime, we need to be tactical. We need to know our members, to understand why 바카라사이트y are not voting and we need to organise and mobilise based on this knowledge.

I don¡¯t believe that 바카라사이트 pay ballot is an indication to employers that 바카라사이트 UCU is in any way weaker now than we were during 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme dispute. Members are voting in ballots in record numbers. An indicative local ballot?is a dispute?about 바카라사이트 research excellence framework?where? 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool recently?recorded a?58 per cent turnout.

The sector can afford to give our members fair pay?and employers can end casualisation ¨C look at 바카라사이트 recent Open University victories, where 4,000 casualised members were moved onto permanent contracts.?Universities can close 바카라사이트 gender and BAME pay gaps and 바카라사이트y can give us reasonable workloads. UCU needs a more effective strategy, strong leadership and more resources to support activists.

Jo McNeill is president of 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool UCU and national executive committee.?