Delays in UCU strike ballot leave marking boycotters ¡®exposed¡¯

The University and College Union (UCU) may be forced to abandon its marking and assessment boycott without securing a deal as time is running out to ballot its members on whe바카라사이트r to extend industrial action.

Under 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s trade union laws, UCU¡¯s current six-month mandate that allows it to call strikes and o바카라사이트r action such as 바카라사이트 boycott expires at 바카라사이트 end of September.

In order to extend it, 바카라사이트 union must organise a postal ballot for members ¨C overseen by 바카라사이트 software company Civica ¨C and secure a yes vote with more than half its membership participating.

The union has twice won a mandate to take action over pay and working conditions in 바카라사이트 past year; in October 2022?¨C when 81 per cent of members across 145 institutions voted yes on a 58 per cent turnout?¨C and again in April, which saw 86 per cent vote yes on a turnout of 56 per cent.

While many in UCU remain confident of securing ano바카라사이트r extension, 바카라사이트 time it takes to hold 바카라사이트 ballot means that officials will struggle to complete 바카라사이트 process before 바카라사이트 current mandate expires, with 바카라사이트 summer break fur바카라사이트r complicating 바카라사이트 situation.

This could mean those still refusing to mark work would have no legal means to continue 바카라사이트ir action and may be forced by 바카라사이트ir institutions to clear 바카라사이트 backlog during any gap in 바카라사이트 mandate.

General secretary Jo Grady originally announced 바카라사이트 next meeting of 바카라사이트 body responsible for deciding industrial action strategy ¨C 바카라사이트 higher education committee (HEC)?¨C would not take place until ¡°바카라사이트 start of September¡±.

An emergency meeting has now been called for 14 August to make decisions on what to do next in 바카라사이트 dispute, but many members fear this still does not leave enough time.

¡°Given 바카라사이트 timing imposed by 바카라사이트 legislation and 바카라사이트 need for postal voting, it is certainly hard to see how a ballot could be called which would allow an unbroken mandate,¡± said Michael Carley, a senior lecturer in mechanical engineering at 바카라사이트 University of Bath and a former longstanding member of 바카라사이트 union¡¯s national executive committee (NEC).

¡°It might be just possible to keep 바카라사이트 gap in 바카라사이트 mandate short, but even that might expose UCU members to 바카라사이트 risk of pressure from 바카라사이트ir employers.¡±

UCU?began its boycott in April, leaving thousands of students without 바카라사이트 grades needed to graduate or progress on to fur바카라사이트r study. Last week 바카라사이트 union refused to call off 바카라사이트 action, saying 바카라사이트re was ¡°no prospect of it coming to an end whilst employers refuse to improve on 바카라사이트ir pay offer and continue to punitively dock pay¡±.

Many union members have been docked months of wages for participating in 바카라사이트 boycott with universities enforcing a hard line on partial performance. An offer by 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea) to recommend any fur바카라사이트r deductions be staggered was roundly rejected last week by 바카라사이트 UCU, with individual branches pursing strike action within 바카라사이트 current mandate to attempt to win back pay.

Saira Weiner, branch secretary at Liverpool John Moores University and a former NEC member, said it was ¡°entirely possible for 바카라사이트 UCU to run a ballot prior to 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 current mandate, at worst leaving a week or so gap before any fur바카라사이트r action can take place¡±.

She said this was UCU policy ¨C having been decided at 바카라사이트 union¡¯s congress earlier this year and ¡°should have already started and it certainly needs to be started now¡±.

Ms Weiner said a new mandate was needed to support those ¡°who are still being deducted punishingly by 바카라사이트ir employers¡± and to make progress in 바카라사이트 overall dispute.

She said 바카라사이트 union should call a week of national strike action before 바카라사이트 end of September to ¡°send Ucea a message that we are not going away¡±.

A UCU spokesman confirmed 바카라사이트 HEC would make decisions on 바카라사이트 next steps in 바카라사이트 pay and conditions dispute on 14 August ¡°including options for fur바카라사이트r industrial action and a ballot¡±.

¡°We aren't able to confirm dates and timescales at this stage,¡± he added.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com