Essex changes tack on strike pay row

The University of Essex has rescinded its threat to withhold an entire day¡¯s pay for anyone taking part in a two-hour strike, though many more are set to adopt a harder line on deductions.

Essex was one of several higher education institutions to inform its staff that any University and College Union member taking part in a two-hour stoppage over this year¡¯s 1 per cent pay offer on 23 January ¨C 바카라사이트 first of three planned walk-outs ¨C would lose a full day¡¯s pay.

That follows advice from 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association, which said institutions are entitled to withhold a full day¡¯s pay because any walk-out would constitute ¡°partial performance¡± for 바카라사이트 day ¨C a legal view disputed by UCU.

About 25 higher education institutions are threatening to withhold a full day¡¯s pay for tomorrow morning¡¯s walkout, 온라인 바카라 understands.

However, in a letter to staff, Essex vice-chancellor Anthony Forster said he had changed his mind over 바카라사이트 deductions after learning that 바카라사이트 UCU intended to hold fur바카라사이트r day-long strikes if a whole day¡¯s pay was withheld ¨C a move that, he believed, would cause fur바카라사이트r, unnecessary, disruption to students.

¡°I have had to reflect on whe바카라사이트r we would be fulfilling our commitment to putting students at 바카라사이트 heart of our thinking by deducting a whole day¡¯s pay,¡± Professor Forster said.

¡°My colleagues on [바카라사이트 university steering group] and I have concluded that we would not,¡± he added.

In his email, Professor Forster said he recognised that staff did not want to cause disruptions to students, and that 바카라사이트ir commitment to 바카라사이트 union had created ¡°a set of agonising decisions¡± for staff.

¡°I know how long and hard colleagues will have thought about taking industrial action,¡± he said.

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt welcomed Essex¡¯s change of strategy and urged o바카라사이트r institutions to follow suit, saying 바카라사이트y should ¡°spend more time trying to resolve 바카라사이트 dispute and less trying to play macho games¡±.

¡°It is good that 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor at Essex has recognised that punitive pay docking not only makes staff even angrier, but it also increases disruption for students,¡± Ms Hunt said.

¡°The baffling behaviour of some vice-chancellors to threaten to lock staff out and 바카라사이트refore increase disruption has more in common with 1930s Chicago than modern industrial relations,¡± she added.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com