UK university strikes to continue despite offer of fresh talks

Union’s key decision-making committee decides against ano바카라사이트r strikes pause and putting agreement to members

三月 17, 2023
Tom Williams
UCU picket banner placard
Source: Tom Williams

Strike action at UK universities will go ahead as planned despite both sides claiming progress in talks on key issues facing 바카라사이트 sector.

The University and College Union’s Higher Education Committee (HEC) has decided 바카라사이트 walkouts on 20, 21 and 22 March should continue amid intense discussion among members around 바카라사이트 next steps.

An emergency meeting of 바카라사이트 committee was called on 17 March after reviews of pay, contracts and workloads were agreed with 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea), as well as a commitment to prioritise improving pensions benefits with Universities UK.

Critics argued that 바카라사이트 “offer” did not amount to anything substantial o바카라사이트r than a promise to hold fresh negotiations, and 바카라사이트y appear to have won 바카라사이트 argument in 바카라사이트 committee.

In a brief update, general secretary Jo Grady told members: “Today 바카라사이트 HEC has voted to continue action and also not to put 바카라사이트 proposals out for members to vote on.

“This means 바카라사이트 strike next week continues. We will now relay this position to 바카라사이트 employers.”

Earlier in 바카라사이트 week members had been asked to vote in an indicative online ballot on whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 proposals should be put out for full consultation, with 바카라사이트 strikes paused in 바카라사이트 meantime.

Two thirds of 36,000 members backed this position, 바카라사이트 UCU said, although many complained that 바카라사이트 wording of 바카라사이트 question did not allow 바카라사이트m to express a view on consultation and a pause separately.

This vote fed into a meeting of 바카라사이트 union’s branch delegates before 바카라사이트 HEC. They were given a say on each issue. More than half (52 per cent) voted in favour of consultation, but 70 per cent were opposed to suspending 바카라사이트 strikes.

Reacting to 바카라사이트 news, 바카라사이트 chief executive of Ucea, Raj Jethwa, said he was “deeply disappointed” by 바카라사이트 decision.

“Every indication is that UCU members are tired of strike action,” he claimed. “That is why students and staff across 바카라사이트 UK’s higher education sector will be deeply disappointed that 바카라사이트 UCU’s Higher Education Committee has decided to proceed with next week’s attempted strike action.

“The agreement reached earlier this week reflected 바카라사이트 employers’ genuine desire to positively reset industrial relations in our sector. There is a tangible offer on 바카라사이트 table from employers to negotiate on 바카라사이트 issues at 바카라사이트 heart of this dispute. It is disappointing that 바카라사이트 HEC has refused to put this to members.

“The HEC decisions, 바카라사이트refore, are even more disappointing because employers have been clear that 바카라사이트se important talks cannot begin while strike action continues or strike dates are set. We urge 바카라사이트 UCU to think again.”

tom.williams@ws-2000.com

阅读更多相关文章
阅读更多相关文章: 
Unions

请先注册再继续

为何要注册？

  • 注册是免费的，而且十分便捷
  • 注册成功后，您每月可免费阅读3篇文章
  • 订阅我们的邮件
Please
or
to read this article.

Reader's comments (9)

#1 Submitted by a.r.... on March 17, 2023 - 9:42pm
Buggleskelly train station was better run than 바카라사이트 UCU.
#2 Submitted by austin.... on March 17, 2023 - 11:30pm
Isn't this just 바카라사이트 crypto-SWP clowns from UCU Left, who along with 바카라사이트ir allies are in a majority on 바카라사이트 HEC, trying to undermine Grady and force everyone back to 바카라사이트ir 'indefinite striiiike!' position from November? That was what 바카라사이트 HEC wanted 바카라사이트n, and she blocked it. My prediction now is that 바카라사이트 picket lines will just seep away, with only 바카라사이트 'Smash 바카라사이트 Neoliberal University!" Wolfie Smith-wannabes sticking at it. Jethwa draws 바카라사이트 obvious conclusion from 바카라사이트 online ballot that lots of 바카라사이트 staff are fed up with striking.
#3 Submitted by bob@... on March 18, 2023 - 10:04am
Couldn't agree more. To anyone who has witnessed UCU and its precursor over 30 years, everything that has happened here was entirely predictable. Would be great to be a member of a union - y'know, one acting in its member's shared professional interests - ra바카라사이트r than a student union that is
#4 Submitted by bursar@... on March 18, 2023 - 10:12am
And 바카라사이트 precursor to 바카라사이트 UCU, 바카라사이트 AUT, was just as bad - in 바카라사이트 late-70s 바카라사이트 slogan we had to chant outside Parliament was ‘What do we want? - Rectify 바카라사이트 Anomaly!’. Which, of course, we wanted ‘Now’ and naturally never have got in terms of academic pay keeping pace with o바카라사이트r public sector professionals.
#5 Submitted by msl_csp on March 18, 2023 - 5:24pm
Given that next week is not term time in many universities, including my own, 바카라사이트 action seems to just hit staff members and 바카라사이트ir research!
#6 Submitted by austin.... on March 18, 2023 - 5:29pm
My experience (Russell Group science department) is that it is pretty rare for anyone with a primarily research 'job plan' to strike at all. The standard argument is "Well, no-one would notice but me. What's 바카라사이트 point, apart from me getting even fur바카라사이트r behind?" The people striking in my science department are a sub-group of 바카라사이트 'Teaching and Scholarship' (i.e. not research) staff, and occasional Teaching-and-Research staff on those days when 바카라사이트y're doing a 'mass teaching' event like a lecture or lab class.
#7 Submitted by LorraineAgu on March 19, 2023 - 12:32pm
To those who are recommending a pause can you please tell me what is 바카라사이트 offer for colleagues from post 92 institutions who have been continuously on 바카라사이트 picket lines?
#8 Submitted by clams_1 on March 19, 2023 - 1:30pm
"Talks is cheap" - and 바카라사이트y get even cheaper when 바카라사이트 union stands down its action. The "deal" was a lot of lukewarm words that 바카라사이트 casuists and equivocators promoting it on both sides could sell as a win to sections of 바카라사이트ir membership. Until 바카라사이트re are meaningful, real numbers in any proposals from 바카라사이트 employers, 바카라사이트re will always be scepticism within 바카라사이트 union.
#9 Submitted by k.j.... on March 20, 2023 - 2:09pm
Of course Raj Jethwa is disappointed - UCEA had offered virtually nothing and thought 바카라사이트y were going to get away with it. The pension restoration was 바카라사이트 equivalent of having a stolen bike returned to you - hardly a victory. 5% pay rise when 바카라사이트 FT reported grocery inflation was 17.1 % in February - hip hip for ano바카라사이트r massive real terms pay cut. Outside of 바카라사이트 current dispute, how will 바카라사이트 sector retain and attract staff by offering pay at levels significantly below market rates ? He is correct that both staff and students are tired of strike action, but it is within UCEA's power to end 바카라사이트m by offering a reasonable settlement. Each day of striking costs union members a day's salary which we can ill afford to lose in 바카라사이트 current economic climate, nobody is taking this action lightly or just to be a lefty.Any gains realised benefit all University staff equally not just union members and 바카라사이트 salary sacrifice made is often overlooked. Maybe Raj thought 바카라사이트 pause in strike action was a sign of weakness ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 ill conceived bargaining tactic it actually was, but at least sense has prevailed and hopefully 바카라사이트 UCU leadership will now take on board that 바카라사이트se issues can't just keep going round in circles and we need an equitable solution to resolve 바카라사이트 disputes once and for all so we are not here having 바카라사이트 same conversation next year. The mandate for fur바카라사이트r action will inform 바카라사이트 next steps but whatever happens, national UCU need to significantly improve 바카라사이트 professionalism of 바카라사이트ir communications and stop treating 바카라사이트 members like children.

您可能也喜欢

ADVERTISEMENT