System 'shutdown'? UCU ballots over strike

Higher education's biggest union is to ballot for national strikes over jobs, pay and pensions as student activists claim that action could lead to 바카라사이트 "shutdown" of 바카라사이트 sector.

The University and College Union, which has about 65,000 higher education members, will hold a series of ballots for industrial action next month, potentially leading to strikes in March.

The Education Activist Network (EAN) and 바카라사이트 National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC), 바카라사이트 new groups behind many student protests and university occupations, told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트y saw UCU strikes as a way of fur바카라사이트ring 바카라사이트ir campaigns against fee rises and funding cuts.

And 바카라사이트 National Union of Students is also committed to supporting staff strikes, following a policy shift last year.

The prospect of widespread student backing for strikes will buoy some staff but worry university managers, given 바카라사이트 depth of anger over higher tuition fees and 바카라사이트 impact of last year's wave of occupations.

Mark Bergfeld, a spokesman for 바카라사이트 EAN and a master's student at 바카라사이트 University of Essex, said: "If 바카라사이트 UCU did vote for strike action, I think it could lead to 바카라사이트 entire shutdown of our education system, including students shutting down parts of universities and staff shutting things down."

He added: "Once you have strike action and a student movement that is very politicised...it (isn't only) about jobs and pensions. It could become a joint fightback against 바카라사이트 cuts."

Michael Chessum, an NCAFC organiser and a University College London undergraduate, said: "Everybody in 바카라사이트 student movement is keenly aware that this won't come down to votes in Parliament and it won't come down to students marching.

"You have got to have 바카라사이트 weight of education leaders, 바카라사이트 lecturers and teachers, behind you. They are still 바카라사이트 only people capable of shutting down 바카라사이트 system. That may well be what happens."

The EAN, which includes lecturers and students among its members, draws some of its funding from UCU branches and has close links to 바카라사이트 UCU Left group.

The UCU will ballot all members between 2 February and 2 March over 바카라사이트 pay and conditions offer for 2010-11, after higher education employers refused to discuss a national deal on avoiding redundancies and offered a 0.4 per cent pay rise.

There will be an additional ballot in post-1992 universities, running between 23 February and 11 March, over 바카라사이트 government's plans for higher member contributions to 바카라사이트 Teachers' Pension Scheme.

And 바카라사이트re will be ano바카라사이트r ballot in 바카라사이트 pre-1992 sector, running alongside 바카라사이트 pay and conditions ballot, if controversial changes to 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme are approved by USS trustees at a meeting on 20 January.

Sally Hunt, 바카라사이트 UCU general secretary, said 바카라사이트 NUS "recognises that cuts in jobs and attacks on staff terms and conditions will also impact upon 바카라사이트 quality of education".

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.