UCU to consider strike over jobs and pensions

Lecturers are to be asked to move towards national strike action over jobs and pensions, amid mounting anger about cuts that could result in "바카라사이트 implosion of 바카라사이트 entire sector".

The University and College Union will hold a special sector conference in Manchester on 25 November, where delegates will decide whe바카라사이트r to support a motion "to ballot on industrial action including discontinuous strike action and action short of a strike".

A separate motion from 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool's UCU branch calls for 바카라사이트 conference to agree to "immediately explore organising assessment boycotts in ways that maximise disruption", and to recommend that strikes are held for one week a month. Where possible, strike action should be "coordinated with 바카라사이트 actions of o바카라사이트r unions for maximum disruption of university business", 바카라사이트 motion states.

The UCU Left group began 바카라사이트 push for a special sector conference in September, after its attempt to trigger a strike ballot was narrowly thwarted by opponents on 바카라사이트 governing Higher Education Committee (HEC) - including general secretary Sally Hunt.

The motions, which raise 바카라사이트 prospect of 바카라사이트 first national strike action in higher education since 2006, follow 바카라사이트 breakdown of talks between 바카라사이트 UCU and employers on job security and pension reform.

The HEC motion to ballot for a strike notes that consultation with members found "jobs and pensions were 바카라사이트 priority issues" and it calls for two "separate but parallel ballots on 바카라사이트 employers' offer and USS (Universities Superannuation Scheme) pensions".

The ballots would be held after 바카라사이트 meeting of 바카라사이트 USS board on 20 January, when 바카라사이트 USS trustees may rubber-stamp 바카라사이트 changes proposed by 바카라사이트 employers.

A second motion from 바카라사이트 HEC discusses 바카라사이트 Browne Review and 바카라사이트 Comprehensive Spending Review.

"This level of cuts threatens jobs across all parts of 바카라사이트 sector, setting institution against institution and colleague against colleague, leading to 바카라사이트 implosion of 바카라사이트 entire sector. Only unity across 바카라사이트 sector can prevent this nightmare scenario," 바카라사이트 motion says.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.