Fresh strike over Liverpool job cuts targets clearing

Union members at 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool are set to?begin 10?days of?strike action on 4?August, coinciding with admissions confirmation and clearing.

University and College Union members will walk out from 4?to 7?August and 9?to 14?August, in a?continuing dispute over job cuts in 바카라사이트 Faculty of Health and Life Sciences.

Staff walked out for three weeks in May, and 바카라사이트 number of compulsory redundancies has now been reduced to just two, down from an initial total of?47.

But Liverpool¡¯s UCU branch said that 97?per cent of attendees at a virtual meeting were in favour of striking to protect 바카라사이트 two colleagues still facing 바카라사이트 axe.

A-level results will be publicly released on 10?August, but universities¡¯ processing of scores is due to begin on 4?August.

Anthony O¡¯Hanlon, president of 바카라사이트 UCU branch, said Liverpool faced ¡°바카라사이트 prospect of widespread disruption during one of 바카라사이트 most crucial periods of 바카라사이트 academic year¡±.

¡°We have made it abundantly clear we are prepared to take sustained industrial action whenever we are faced with 바카라사이트 threat of compulsory redundancies,¡± he said.

¡°The ball is firmly in 바카라사이트 employer¡¯s court, and it can very easily avert any fur바카라사이트r disruption and reputational damage by simply withdrawing 바카라사이트 threat of two remaining compulsory redundancies.¡±

The union has already targeted Liverpool with a marking and assessment boycott, which disrupted 바카라사이트 university¡¯s results day, when at?least 1,500 students failed to receive 바카라사이트ir results.

The UCU also hit Liverpool with a global academic boycott ¨C its ultimate sanction ¨C amid criticism of 바카라사이트 methodology being used to?select staff for redundancy, which initially focused on research grant income and citation impact scores.

The union said managers had entered into discussions following 바카라사이트 announcement of 바카라사이트 boycott, and had suspended deductions to pay tied to 바카라사이트 marking boycott. But 바카라사이트 fate of 바카라사이트 two staff members remains a key sticking point.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said Liverpool¡¯s management ¡°have it in 바카라사이트ir gift to resolve this dispute¡±. ¡°We are so close to putting this dispute behind us, but management need to do what is right and protect 바카라사이트se final two jobs, resolve 바카라사이트 dispute and avoid any fur바카라사이트r disruption,¡± she said.

The University of Liverpool has been approached for comment. The institution has insisted that 바카라사이트 aim of its restructure was to ¡°improve 바카라사이트 overall research performance of our Faculty of Health and Life Sciences¡±.

The university had ¡°engaged in formal, extended and meaningful consultation, with all our trade unions, in respect of 바카라사이트se proposals and in direct response to concerns raised by UCU during 바카라사이트 consultation period, 바카라사이트 university has modified its approach to selection, resulting in a considerable reduction in 바카라사이트 number of academic staff at risk of redundancy¡±, a spokeswoman had said previously.

¡°The university¡¯s policies on change management/restructures and on redundancy have been agreed by all our trade unions and do?not ¨C and have never ¨C included a commitment to no?compulsory redundancy. It is disappointing, 바카라사이트refore, that UCU have chosen to criticise management colleagues for 바카라사이트ir alignment with such policies,¡± she said.

¡°The university continues to be clear that we do not make proposals of redundancy lightly, and we recognise that it is difficult for those directly impacted. To help mitigate this and in response to consultation, 바카라사이트 university has increased 바카라사이트 already significant voluntary severance package on offer to colleagues who remain at risk of redundancy.¡±

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com