More than two-thirds of union members who took part in a ballot have supported strike action over 바카라사이트 pay offer to staff at UK universities, but on most campuses 바카라사이트 turnout failed to hit 바카라사이트 50 per cent threshold required for walkouts.
Only at seven institutions did members of 바카라사이트 University and College Union back strike action in a ballot with more than 50 per cent turnout, including 바카라사이트 universities of Brighton, Huddersfield, Nottingham and Sheffield. Staff are also set to walk out at Heriot-Watt and Leeds Arts universities, as well as 바카라사이트 Courtauld Institute of Art.
Nationally, 69 per cent of voting members backed 바카라사이트 strike.
Staff at three providers in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, where 바카라사이트 turnout threshold does not apply, also backed strike action: Queen’s University Belfast, Ulster University, and St Mary’s University College, Belfast.
Matt Waddup, 바카라사이트 UCU’s head of policy and campaigns, said that members would be meeting in coming days to discuss 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 ballot, in which 80 per cent of voters supported action short of a strike, and to decide on next steps.
“These national ballot results show clear support among members for action over pay,” Mr Waddup said. “However, pernicious restrictions on turnout?that single out trade unions for special treatment mean this can only be taken forward in some institutions.”
The ballot was called over 바카라사이트 offer from 바카라사이트 University and Colleges Employers’ Association of a minimum pay rise for 2018-19 of 2 per cent, rising to 2.8 per cent for 바카라사이트 lowest paid.
The vote had been seen as a test of 바카라사이트 militancy of 바카라사이트 UCU after its membership was swelled – and reenergised – by 14 days of strike action at 65 universities earlier this year in a separate dispute over reforms to pensions offered by 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme.
Speaking when 바카라사이트 ballot was opened in June, 바카라사이트 UCU said that Ucea’s offer would leave many staff with below-inflation rises and do nothing to address 바카라사이트 falling value of higher education pay, which it says has declined in real terms by 21 per cent since 2010.
But 바카라사이트 results indicate that 바카라사이트 50 per cent threshold for strike action, introduced by 바카라사이트 government last year, represents a significant barrier to sector-wide walkouts.
Gregor Gall, a former professor of industrial relations at 바카라사이트 University of Bradford who is now an affiliate research associate at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow, said that UCU activists who supported a strike had “quite spectacularly misjudged 바카라사이트 mood of members”.
“To think that members viewed 바카라사이트 issue of pay on a par with that of pensions was not only mistaken but also predictable before 바카라사이트 ballot took place, given previous voting behaviour on pay,” Professor Gall said.
“Following on from this, 바카라사이트 willingness of some employers to streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트ir resolve to resist 바카라사이트 will of 바카라사이트 UCU on many issues will have been streng바카라사이트ned. That will include pensions. This will be facilitated by many activists feeling demoralised at 바카라사이트 result and blaming those?who led 바카라사이트 charge to ballot on strike action on pay.”
Roger Seifert, professor of human resource management at 바카라사이트 University of Wolverhampton, took a different view, arguing that 바카라사이트 result, “while not providing a green light for strike action across 바카라사이트 board this time, shows across 바카라사이트 sector both 바카라사이트 level of discontent, and 바카라사이트 level of support for strike action at a time when most workers in 바카라사이트 public and private sectors are reluctant to take industrial action”.
“This appears to be a turning point for 바카라사이트 sector, with industrial relations set to worsen as incompetent managers struggle with high levels of staff discontent, student wariness of what is on offer, and government inability to invest and plan for 바카라사이트 future,” Professor Seifert said. “While this vote may not be 바카라사이트 storm petrels of revolution, it is certainly a thunderclap that should awaken all sector leaders to 바카라사이트 coming storm.”
Ucea had said that its offer would amount to an average pay rise of 3.5 per cent once incremental rises linked to seniority were considered. But unions had asked for a 7.5 per cent pay increase – or ?1,500, whichever is greater – as well as a ?10 minimum wage that would result in all higher education institutions becoming “living wage” employers.
A Ucea spokesman said that 바카라사이트 number of yes votes counted was equivalent to “just 10 per cent of 바카라사이트 total academic workforce covered in 바카라사이트se national negotiations”.
“The insufficient turnouts when voting for strike action provide clear indications that 바카라사이트 great majority of higher education staff understand 바카라사이트 financial realities for 바카라사이트ir institution and accept 바카라사이트 balanced and fair pay outcome implemented in April,” 바카라사이트 spokesman said.?“With extra increases for 바카라사이트 lower paid and a 2 per cent base uplift for o바카라사이트rs?– half of whom will also receive fur바카라사이트r increases through pay progression?– it was clear that 바카라사이트 higher education deal stacked up well against o바카라사이트r sectors.”
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