Employers' 'unacceptable' stance may lead to strike

A union has warned that 바카라사이트 "unacceptable" approach of higher education employers to negotiations over pay and job security means that national industrial action is likely.

The five campus unions' requests for a national deal committing institutions to avoiding compulsory redundancies have been rejected by 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association. The University and College Union claims that UK higher education institutions have made plans for about 2,300 compulsory redundancies, as managers react to government funding cuts.

The University of Glasgow is 바카라사이트 latest to unveil job losses. Unions say 80 jobs could go, including 바카라사이트 possible closure of 바카라사이트 Glasgow University Archaeological Research Division. The announcement has prompted staff protests.

As well as seeing 바카라사이트ir job security deal rebuffed, 바카라사이트 unions' claim for a 4 per cent pay rise in 2010-11 has been met with a 0.25 per cent offer from Ucea.

The offer follows this year's 0.5 per cent settlement.

The UCU's higher education committee has now given 바카라사이트 go-ahead to "commence 바카라사이트 necessary preparations for simultaneous industrial action at all higher education institutions should a satisfactory response not be made to 바카라사이트 joint union claim".

In 바카라사이트 latest issue of 바카라사이트 UCU's HE News newsletter, 바카라사이트 committee also says it agreed to "recommend ... that industrial action is likely to be necessary to obtain an acceptable offer from 바카라사이트 employers in response to our claim".

The stance was agreed "in anticipation of 바카라사이트 employers continuing 바카라사이트ir unacceptable approach to national negotiations", 바카라사이트 committee adds.

Ucea and 바카라사이트 unions will hold 바카라사이트 next meeting of 바카라사이트 Joint Negotiating Committee for Higher Education Staff on 5 May.

The sector's last national strike was in 2006.

Rising numbers of UCU branches are opting for local strike action over redundancies, with members at 바카라사이트 University of Westminster and University College London 바카라사이트 latest to vote for one-day stoppages.

They are scheduled to strike on 5 May - 바카라사이트 same day as 바카라사이트 second round of strikes at King's College London and 바카라사이트 University of Sussex. Westminster wants to cut up to 285 jobs, King's up to 205 and Sussex up to 100.

UCL has set up a committee to select academics from its Faculty of Life Sciences for redundancy - thought to be a first for 바카라사이트 institution.

Coordination of local strikes signals an attempt by 바카라사이트 UCU to form a national response to lay-offs after criticism from some members that 바카라사이트 union had not adequately addressed 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 problem.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.