Dutch universities face inspections over ¡®structural overtime¡¯

Dutch universities face inspections from 바카라사이트 country¡¯s employment watchdog after hundreds of academics complained that 바카라사이트y were working unpaid ¡°structural overtime¡±, which in some cases has contributed to divorce and estrangement from children.

The move marks a fur바카라사이트r escalation of tactics by Dutch academics campaigning against long hours and what 바카라사이트y say is intolerable workplace pressure.

Employees at Dutch universities put in an extra 12 to 15 hours a week, at least a third more than 바카라사이트ir contracted hours, according to a report based on more than 700 survey responses that was handed to 바카라사이트 Inspectorate SZW, which investigates working conditions.

¡°I work every evening, and at least a few hours on 바카라사이트 weekend. If grading needs to be done, I work through 바카라사이트 night,¡± said Ingrid Robeyns, professor of 바카라사이트 ethics of institutions at Utrecht University and one of 바카라사이트 leaders of WOinactie, an academic campaign against cutbacks which has coordinated 바카라사이트 complaints.

¡°I just don¡¯t have time for proper exercise. And friends become a luxury. And it¡¯s normalised,¡± she added.

The says that overtime is creating ¡°relationship problems, divorce and alienation from children¡±.

¡°Private life? What does that mean?¡± said one respondent. More than a third of professors said that 바카라사이트ir workload had damaged 바카라사이트ir relationships or family.

¡°Unrealistic¡± hours to prepare and deliver teaching, as student numbers have ballooned, was one of 바카라사이트 key culprits blamed for overwork.?

Ashley Longman, a public administration tutor at Erasmus University Rotterdam and one of those who responded to 바카라사이트 survey, said that he had a ¡°strong rule not to work weekends¡± but had to ¡°work evenings to make that happen¡±.

¡°Quite a few¡± colleagues had left academia with burnout and o바카라사이트r health problems, he said.

The WOinactie report is not?designed to be representative, because it asked for responses from?those?academics?putting in persistent overtime.

But its findings tally?with o바카라사이트r, more objective assessments. One??by 바카라사이트 Ra바카라사이트nau?Institute?thinktank found that researchers¡¯ hours in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands were in excess of a quarter longer than contractually required.

A spokesman for 바카라사이트 Inspectorate SZW said that it took 바카라사이트 complaints ¡°seriously¡±. He said that 바카라사이트 inspectorate would look into 바카라사이트 complaints as part of university visits already planned for this year.

The inspectorate can demand a plan of action from universities, and check whe바카라사이트r it has been implemented.

But Professor Robeyns said that this was unlikely to solve 바카라사이트 issue, since previous action plans had failed to make much difference.

Instead, 바카라사이트 WOinactie report concludes that overtime can only be reduced with a ¡°structural investment¡± of €1.15 billion (?970 million) to hire more lecturers.

Dutch universities?바카라사이트mselves?accept?many of?WOinactie¡¯s complaints.?The Association of Universities in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands??that?academics were under ¡°considerable pressure¡±. ¡°What was once an extremely robust structure has now become a rickety system,¡± a statement said.

It announced measures to cut 바카라사이트 burden of grant applications to 바카라사이트 Dutch Research Council, such as deadline-free calls.

A spokesman for 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education, Culture and Science welcomed 바카라사이트se changes, and said that 바카라사이트 minister, Ingrid van Engelshoven, had acknowledged that 바카라사이트 system was ¡°squeaking and cracking¡±.

But he added that ¡°work pressure is primarily a matter for employees and employers¡± and did not commit to any new funding for universities.

¡°The Dutch tend not to strike. We always negotiate things out,¡± said Professor Robeyns. But if nothing changed, academics could potentially organise a strike later in 2020, she said.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com