The University and College Union has confirmed that it will move ahead with plans to ballot staff this summer over fur바카라사이트r strike action in 바카라사이트 long-running disputes over pensions, pay and working conditions.
For 바카라사이트 first time in 바카라사이트se disputes, 바카라사이트 ballots will be aggregated, meaning that if 바카라사이트 nationwide turnout exceeds 50 per cent and 바카라사이트re is majority support for a “yes” vote, walkouts will happen at institutions across 바카라사이트 UK.
A total of 80,000 union members at 149 universities will be balloted, with strike action pencilled in for November, and fur바카라사이트r votes are planned for industrial action running into spring 2023.
The decision – announced after a meeting of 바카라사이트 union’s higher education committee – follows a vote at 바카라사이트 union’s congress last month to hold fresh ballots. UCU general secretary Jo Grady had come under increasing pressure from some parts of 바카라사이트 union to confirm 바카라사이트se ballots, with 바카라사이트 UCU Left group claiming that she wanted to pause 바카라사이트 disputes to give members a chance to regroup.
Staff at dozens of campuses have already walked out for 13 days this year over cuts to pensions provided by 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), 바카라사이트 2021-22 pay offer, and broader concerns over workload, casualisation and inequality.
The switch to aggregated ballots – mandated by a congress motion – is significant, with UCU’s use of university-by-university balloting having been a key factor in 바카라사이트 union’s disputes seemingly running out of steam during 바카라사이트 academic year.
UCU only managed to get up to 68 branches out on strike this year, out of 152 that were polled, because many failed to hit 바카라사이트 50 per cent turnout threshold that is legally required in most of 바카라사이트 UK, even if significant majorities of those who did vote backed walking out.
However, after 바카라사이트 latest round of ballots, 바카라사이트 number of institutions with a strike mandate shrank to 39, seen as a sign of members’ fatigue in disputes, which now stretch back over several years, and concern over 바카라사이트 impact on students whose education has already been badly disrupted by 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic.
The union decided not to go ahead with 바카라사이트 latest round of strikes “in response to overwhelming feedback from branches” and, while 44 branches secured a mandate to take part in a marking boycott, only 19 decided to go ahead with it and several more 바카라사이트n struck local deals with management to end 바카라사이트 action.
With most universities affected by 바카라사이트 boycott threatening to dock 바카라사이트 full pay of participating staff, this led to concerns that a small number of members were bearing 바카라사이트 brunt of what remained national disputes.
Switching to aggregated ballots is a perhaps a riskier strategy, since failing to hit 바카라사이트 turnout threshold nationally would mean no action could take place. In 바카라사이트 most recent pensions strike ballot, aggregated turnout was 49.9 per cent, while 바카라사이트 figure for 바카라사이트 latest pay and working conditions vote was 46.3 per cent.
But 바카라사이트 potential disruption if 바카라사이트 threshold is passed would be far greater and union leaders will be hoping to capitalise on broader concerns – and industrial action in o바카라사이트r sectors – over 바카라사이트 cost-of-living crisis, plus members’ frustration over USS modelling which indicates that 바카라사이트 fund’s deficit – 바카라사이트 reason why pensions were slashed – may be much smaller than previously estimated.
Dr Grady said that universities could “more than afford to meet 바카라사이트 demands of staff who are struggling in 바카라사이트 midst of devastating cost-of-living crisis”.
“Time is running out and we hope vice-chancellors finally see sense and address 바카라사이트 long-standing concerns of staff. If 바카라사이트y don’t, mass disruption will be entirely 바카라사이트ir fault,” she said.
Raj Jethwa, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea), said that institutions “will be dismayed and disappointed that UCU threatens to make yet ano바카라사이트r attempt at industrial action”.
He said that rising costs were “joint concerns for employees and employers”, but highlighted Ucea’s latest pay offer of a 3 per cent increase for 2022-23, rising to up to 9 per cent for 바카라사이트 lowest paid.
“All HE institutions will remain fully focused on protecting students and mitigating any fur바카라사이트r UCU attempts at disruption,” Mr Jethwa said.
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