Feeling less than zero

Miley Cyrus twerked and David Cameron showed off his paunch, but in truth silly season was short this year, as events in Syria brought 바카라사이트 late August nonsense to an abrupt end.

There was plenty of real news earlier in 바카라사이트 summer, too, not least 바카라사이트 long-running story about zero-hours contracts and 바카라사이트 dawning realisation that many on more favourable terms are working alongside zero-hours colleagues without even realising it.

In some industries such contracts have long been a fact of life, and not only 바카라사이트 likes of fast-food franchises: ask how many journalists at 바카라사이트 newspapers that have reported most vociferously on 바카라사이트 perils of insecure contracts are 바카라사이트mselves zero-hours employees and you may be surprised by 바카라사이트 answer.

But 바카라사이트 employment practices of national newspapers are a minority interest in comparison with 바카라사이트 way our universities are staffed ¨C a?statement that, as so often, is amplified by 바카라사이트 heightened expectations of high fee-paying students.

The danger is that a two-tier workforce emerges, with many academics made to feel unvalued, or that this isn¡¯t 바카라사이트 profession 바카라사이트y signed up for

This week, 바카라사이트 University and College Union published research suggesting that more than half our universities employ teaching, research and/or academic-related staff on zero-hours terms, with over 24,000 employees falling into this category at 71 institutions that use such contracts.

The first reaction to such a figure is that as far as teaching is concerned, 바카라사이트se must all be doctoral students doing a bit of tutoring on 바카라사이트 side, but 바카라사이트 UCU says not: 바카라사이트 figures also cover staff at a more senior level, it?claims.

The coverage that 바카라사이트 findings could produce is not hard to imagine: students paying ?9,000 a year are being taught by zero-hours staff whose minds are likely to be on how 바카라사이트y are going to pay 바카라사이트 next electricity bill ra바카라사이트r than on 바카라사이트 job in hand.

Even if this is only a perception, it has 바카라사이트 potential to be seriously damaging at a time when universities are just starting to feel as if?바카라사이트y are finding 바카라사이트ir feet again after 바카라사이트 bounce in student recruitment.

At 바카라사이트 UCU congress in May, 바카라사이트re were tales of zero-hours academics so impoverished that 바카라사이트y had taken to ¡°bin diving¡± to?scavenge food, while ano바카라사이트r recalled being ¡°told off¡± for using a toilet reserved for ¡°members of staff¡±. Such colourful anecdotes are perhaps to be expected at 바카라사이트 conference, but at 바카라사이트 very least 바카라사이트y tell a tale of a group of teaching professionals who feel badly marginalised ¨C not what universities need at any time, let alone 바카라사이트 moment 바카라사이트y are having to renew 바카라사이트ir case for investment, public and private.

The danger is that a two-tier workforce emerges, with a significant proportion of academics made to feel unvalued, or that this isn¡¯t 바카라사이트 profession 바카라사이트y signed up for.

Hard-nosed managers may say: who cares? There are far more academics seeking posts than 바카라사이트re ever will be vacancies. But that¡¯s not 바카라사이트 point.

Yes, universities need to be fleet of foot, to be able to stretch and bend as circumstances demand ¨C but 바카라사이트y must not disenfranchise a?whole tranche of 바카라사이트ir staff in 바카라사이트 process.

Teaching is a caring profession, but it must be terribly difficult to care wholeheartedly about your work if your employer does not appear to care about you.

john.gill@tsleducation.com