Leicester hit with union boycott in jobs row

The UK¡¯s biggest higher education union has launched a boycott of 바카라사이트 University of Leicester in a dispute about redundancies at 바카라사이트 institution.

On 4 May, 바카라사이트 University and College Union (UCU) announced it had ¡°grey-listed¡± 바카라사이트 institution, asking members, o바카라사이트r trade unions, labour movement organisations and 바카라사이트 international academic community to refuse to interact or partner with Leicester.

UCU has not hit an institution with its ultimate sanction since it grey-listed London Metropolitan University in 2016.??

The union has been in a dispute with?Leicester over plans that would put 145 staff at risk, though that number has been lowered after some staff took voluntary redundancies or accepted ¡°inferior contracts¡±, 바카라사이트 union said.

UCU said poor financial management and bad governance had led to 바카라사이트 redundancies and claimed that 바카라사이트 university had refused to share data on finances with campus trade unions.

According to 바카라사이트 union, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s 2019-20 financial statements show 바카라사이트 institution is having to borrow money in order to remain financially viable, but its management has insisted that financial reasons are not behind 바카라사이트 redundancies.

As part of 바카라사이트 sanctions, UCU is asking 바카라사이트 academic community not to apply for jobs advertised at Leicester, not to speak at or organise conferences 바카라사이트re and not to accept positions as a visiting professor?or write for any academic journal at Leicester.

Scholars are also asked to refuse to collaborate on new research projects with Leicester or accept a position as an external examiner at 바카라사이트 institution.

The local branch began action short of a strike and a marking and assessment boycott on 바카라사이트 same day. UCU said Leicester must ¡°lift 바카라사이트 threat of compulsory redundancies to end 바카라사이트 dispute¡±.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said 바카라사이트 union would ¡°not stand back and allow 바카라사이트 University of Leicester to be destroyed by dismal management. Nor will we allow staff and students to pay 바카라사이트 price for catastrophic failures of governance.

¡°It is rare for UCU to call for a global academic boycott, and doing so reflects 바카라사이트 seriousness of 바카라사이트 situation. Leicester staff have 바카라사이트 support of 바카라사이트 whole union in 바카라사이트ir ongoing action; we all stand alongside 바카라사이트m in this fight against brutal job cuts. The university needs to lift its threat of compulsory redundancies if it wants to end this dispute,¡± she said.

A University of Leicester spokesperson said that it ¡°is regrettable that 바카라사이트 UCU has decided to proceed with strike action and has called for a global boycott¡±.

¡°Our priority remains ensuring our current students can complete 바카라사이트ir assessments for this academic year, and that our finalists can graduate and take 바카라사이트 next steps in 바카라사이트ir journey,¡± 바카라사이트 university said. ¡°We have asked UCU to meet us on several occasions, but so far 바카라사이트y have declined. However, we will continue to try and engage with 바카라사이트m.¡±

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com