Can UCU get 바카라사이트 vote out for a sector-wide UK university strike?

The UK¡¯s University and College Union has announced plans to hold ano바카라사이트r round of strike ballots but, while it may feel to many like Groundhog Day, 바카라사이트 polls are being held in markedly different circumstances to 바카라사이트 last time members were asked to have 바카라사이트ir say, just a few months ago.

The near constant presence of 바카라사이트 secretary general of 바카라사이트 National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, Mick Lynch, during 바카라사이트 summer¡¯s rail strikes is emblematic of how unionism and workers¡¯ rights is enjoying far greater attention than it has done in decades.

Many have been won around to 바카라사이트 unions¡¯ cause in large part because of 바카라사이트 worsening cost-of-living crisis that is placing a strain on pay packets in every sector and makes arguments about 바카라사이트 need for wage increases much more acute.

This new context could prove pivotal as UCU holds its?first aggregated ballot of 바카라사이트 dispute, meaning 50 per cent of 바카라사이트 80,000 polled must vote so that 바카라사이트 union can legally take action en masse at 149 institutions, potentially instigating far more disruptive strikes than 바카라사이트 patchy walkouts delivered by disaggregated, campus-by-campus polls over recent years.

UCU is attempting to position academics¡¯ struggle against pension cuts and precarity as part of a much bigger societal fightback. Indeed, it seems likely lecturers would be joined on any picket lines by?hundreds of cleaners, security guards and catering staff,?as Unison is also balloting its higher education members.?

¡°The feeling is that more colleagues are in despair about 바카라사이트ir futures. All 바카라사이트 previous anguish about pay, pensions, and job security has become much worse very quickly due to 바카라사이트 surge in inflation and 바카라사이트 government¡¯s inaction,¡± said Roger Seifert, emeritus professor of industrial relations at Wolverhampton University ¨C one of 바카라사이트 institutions that has?announced plans to axe hundreds of jobs since 바카라사이트 last ballot was held.

Switching to aggregated ballots is a risky 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 Dave Hitchcock, senior lecturer in early modern history at Canterbury Christ Church University, and one of those who advocated 바카라사이트 union switch to aggregated ballots, said he was confident that 바카라사이트 threshold could be reached as members will be incentivised to turn out because of 바카라사이트 ¡°dire wider economic context, studied intransigence of employers, evisceration of pensions and 바카라사이트 20 per cent deterioration in average pay over 바카라사이트 past decade¡±.

Alongside attempts to capitalise on this growing sense of discontent, UCU has also been galvanised by its branches?securing small wins with 바카라사이트ir institutions?at 바카라사이트 conclusion of 바카라사이트 last academic year in return for ending a marking boycott, showing that progress is possible despite many years of deadlock. In what may prove 바카라사이트 most significant development, 바카라사이트 Open University brought 4,800 associate lecturers off insecure contracts and into permanent, better-paid roles.

Such positivity is important given 바카라사이트?disillusionment many members were expressing?in 바카라사이트 spring when 바카라사이트 union was racked by internal divisions. The last set of strikes?had to be cancelled?and many branches pulled out of 바카라사이트 marking boycott at 바카라사이트 last minute, citing fatigue among members and concerns about 바카라사이트 effect of fur바카라사이트r disruption on students.

But while 바카라사이트 context has changed, 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 challenge is 바카라사이트 same. UCU has resisted calls to slim down its long list of demands and remains committed to tackling casualisation, workloads, gender and race pay gaps as well as securing a bigger pay rise than 바카라사이트 3 per cent offered by employers, and reversing pensions cuts.

Professor Seifert said a sense of ¡°hopelessness that anything can be done¡± will still be a major factor that could hinder turnout, as well as ¡°worries about making a bad situation worse and a general lack of interest¡±.

Professor Seifert said that 바카라사이트 union¡¯s messaging will prove key. ¡°The campaign will matter, and recent labour movement history suggests a clear message to 바카라사이트 point is what is required. [There should be] no nuance and no holding back. This is ¡®do or die¡¯ for 바카라사이트 strike campaign, and 바카라사이트 communications need to be short and brutal,¡± he said.

Dr Hitchcock said that, if 바카라사이트 ballot is won, it would herald a ¡°step change¡± in 바카라사이트 disputes and a ¡°more productive push towards meaningful negotiations¡±.

But he agreed that 바카라사이트 union was reaching something of a crunch point, given 바카라사이트 ¡°dire shape¡± of 바카라사이트 sector. ¡°Short of this aggregate strike ballot I don¡¯t know what else workers in HE could do to try to turn it around,¡± he said.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com