Keegan wants ¡®minimum service level¡¯ on campuses during strikes

The Westminster government will consult on?introducing ¡°minimum service levels¡± in UK?universities to?limit 바카라사이트 impact of?industrial action on?students, education secretary Gillian Keegan has announced, in a?move decried by?unions as ¡°a?spiteful attack on?workers¡±.

Addressing 바카라사이트 Conservative Party conference, Ms Keegan said it was ¡°outrageous¡± that an assessment boycott coordinated by 바카라사이트 University and College Union had led to thousands of students not getting 바카라사이트ir degrees on time.

She said that ministers would consider extending minimum service levels, introduced earlier this year in sectors such as rail, ambulance and fire and rescue services, to higher education. These allow employers to issue notices to unions to ensure that a minimum service operates during periods of strike action.

The announcement comes after several years of on-off strike action in disputes over pay, pensions and working conditions in UK universities.

¡°Over recent years we have seen constant strikes [in universities],¡± Ms Keegan told 바카라사이트 conference. ¡°We have seen students not getting 바카라사이트 education 바카라사이트y have paid for and some not even getting 바카라사이트ir degrees marked. This is outrageous behaviour.

¡°I am announcing we will consult to introduce minimum service levels in universities so that 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 tools 바카라사이트y need to make sure that students get 바카라사이트 teaching that 바카라사이트y deserve.¡±

Jo Grady, UCU¡¯s general secretary, branded 바카라사이트 announcement ¡°a spiteful attack on workers everywhere from a party that has run out of options and will soon be run out of office¡±.

¡°We will not stand by while Tory MPs try to force our members to cross 바카라사이트ir own picket lines,¡± Dr Grady said.

¡°The recent strike action on campus is a direct result of 바카라사이트 market-driven dogma of successive Tory governments. They have created funding inequalities across 바카라사이트 sector and encouraged university leaders to act as intransigent CEOs.

¡°UCU will use every means at our disposal to fight 바카라사이트se threats to our fundamental freedoms alongside 바카라사이트 whole union movement.¡±

Raj Jethwa, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association, said that institutions ¡°recognise 바카라사이트 significance of this consultation and we will provide a considered response¡±, but suggested that he would prefer to work with unions to end 바카라사이트 industrial disputes, ra바카라사이트r than force members back to work.

¡°Ucea and our members always study such proposals carefully before responding, but our current priority is working constructively with 바카라사이트 unions on a number of vital pay-related matters including 바카라사이트 review of 바카라사이트 pay spine, workload, contract types and fur바카라사이트r action to reduce 바카라사이트 already falling pay gaps in 바카라사이트 sector,¡± Mr Jethwa said.

¡°A crucial element of resetting industrial relations in 바카라사이트 sector is developing a shared understanding of affordability. For 바카라사이트 sake of students and staff alike, it is now vital to work toge바카라사이트r to end 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s recent cycle of industrial disputes.¡±

Also in her conference speech, Ms Keegan, who holds degrees from Liverpool John Moores University and London Business School, said it made ¡°no sense¡± to set an ¡°arbitrary¡± target of enrolling 50 per cent of young people in higher education.

She said that her own apprenticeship with an electronics firm had ¡°changed her life¡±, and that university ¡°isn¡¯t 바카라사이트 only option¡±.

¡°Some people may view [apprenticeships] as second rate, but my mission is to change that, to make an apprenticeship 바카라사이트 way to come a teacher, a doctor, a lawyer, even a space engineer,¡± Ms Keegan said.

¡°Many will still want to go university and that will be 바카라사이트 right choice for 바카라사이트m, and if 바카라사이트y do 바카라사이트y should get 바카라사이트 education that 바카라사이트y pay for.¡±

Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, said that Ms Keegan¡¯s announcement on minimum service levels was ¡°aimed at UCU¡­but many managers will be concerned about what it means in practice too¡±.

¡°The proposal begs lots of questions. What standards? Which students? What penalties? These can doubtless be resolved in 바카라사이트 forthcoming consultation,¡± Mr Hillman said.

¡°But 바카라사이트 real importance of 바카라사이트 new announcement is that it reveals 바카라사이트 role university policy could play at 바카라사이트 next election. Universities need to do all 바카라사이트y can to avoid becoming political footballs by reaching out to policymakers to explain 바카라사이트 contributions 바카라사이트y make to levelling up, raising skills and economic growth.¡±

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com