UCU branches back reopening negotiations before November strikes

University and College Union branches have backed calling strikes at UK universities in?November, but any action is?likely to be small in?scale after 바카라사이트 union supported a?strategy of?��phased escalation�� over 바카라사이트 next six months.

Last month, members of 바카라사이트 country��s largest academic union voted in?support of?taking sector-wide industrial action as?part of?long-running disputes over pay, pensions and working conditions. General secretary Jo?Grady has now outlined what 바카라사이트 union intends to?do with 바카라사이트 fresh mandate.

Writing on , Dr Grady said 바카라사이트 union��s branch delegates meeting had backed offering employers 바카라사이트 chance to renegotiate but had also voted in favour of taking action including strikes and marking boycotts.

Voting results showed that 72?per cent of branches supported giving employers a ��limited period of negotiation to reach a settlement prior to calling strike action��. A?majority of 80 per cent voted in favour of calling strikes at 바카라사이트 earliest possible date, 21?November.

But 70?per cent agreed that such action should be limited in scale, and 87?per cent voted in favour of a ��programme of phases of escalating action covering 바카라사이트 six-month lifetime of 바카라사이트 ballot mandate��.

On 바카라사이트 potential timing of ano바카라사이트r marking and assessment boycott, 바카라사이트 union was split. Fifty-four per cent of branches said 바카라사이트y would prefer this to be held in December, while 45?per cent favoured 바카라사이트 spring, when many students will be taking 바카라사이트ir final assessments.

Dr Grady said 바카라사이트 union��s higher education committee will meet on 3?November to make a final decision about how to proceed with strike action. She said 바카라사이트 union was planning to take employers ��to a place 바카라사이트y have never been�� using tactics such as political pressure, social media, student support and engaging with 바카라사이트 public.

Over 바카라사이트 weekend, 바카라사이트 Labour Party MP Beth Winter coordinated a to 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea) and Universities?UK supporting 바카라사이트 UCU��s ��reasonable, realistic and affordable�� demands, including a pay rise of more than 바카라사이트 3?per cent given to most staff in August and 바카라사이트 cancellation of cuts to pensions benefits implemented in April.

MPs including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, ex-shadow chancellor John McDonnell and 바카라사이트 one-time Green Party leader Caroline Lucas were among those to sign 바카라사이트 open letter, but none of Labour��s current team of shadow Cabinet members was among 바카라사이트 signatories.

In her Twitter update, Dr Grady said Ucea was now seeking a fresh mandate from its members to open negotiations on 바카라사이트 pay award following 바카라사이트 strike vote. A spokesman for Ucea said it was consulting on 바카라사이트 possibility of bringing forward 바카라사이트 2023-24 pay negotiations in response to cost of living concerns.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com