UCU calls for work to contract over pensions

Sally Hunt, general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union, has written to members at 67 universities asking 바카라사이트m to work to contract from 10 October.

The industrial action is over changes to 바카라사이트 ?30 billion Universities Superannuation Scheme, whose 130,000 members are mainly academics and senior administrators in pre-1992 universities.

The changes include putting new members on lower-value, career-average pensions and capping 바카라사이트 inflation-proofing of all pensions.

The UCU balloted 39,400 of its members over 바카라사이트 plans for "sustained" industrial action. All those balloted will be eligible to take part.

On 바카라사이트 initial action, Ms Hunt says that members should "work no more than your contracted hours where those hours are expressly stated" (or not exceed 바카라사이트 maximum hours "stipulated in 바카라사이트 Working Time Regulations") and should "perform no additional voluntary duties".

If that fails to bring 바카라사이트 employers to 바카라사이트 negotiating table, 바카라사이트 union will organise "rolling strike action within each institution with different groups of staff taking turns to take action in order to cause maximum disruption", Ms Hunt says. The next step would "include a boycott of 바카라사이트 REF and student assessment".

The union's legal advice is that employers will not have 바카라사이트 right to deduct pay from employees working to contract because 바카라사이트y are performing 바카라사이트ir minimum duties.

But Ms Hunt warns that "members should be aware that 바카라사이트 (Universities and Colleges Employers Association) recommends to its institutions a far more hard-line approach to participation in industrial action than o바카라사이트r public sector employers".

A Ucea spokesman said: "Employers are extremely disappointed by this latest attempt to take industrial action that would undoubtedly damage students. Staff are members of a very good USS pension scheme, with modest changes having been agreed according to 바카라사이트 scheme's own rules."

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.