Marking boycott ends at Queen¡¯s Belfast as local deal agreed

Academics at Queen¡¯s University Belfast have agreed to start marking students¡¯ work again after?negotiating a deal with university management.

The branch has become 바카라사이트 first involved in 바카라사이트 pay and working conditions dispute to resume all assessment duties, despite 바카라사이트?current impasse in 바카라사이트 national negotiations.

About 750 students at Queen¡¯s had been due to graduate without receiving 바카라사이트ir final degree mark because of 바카라사이트 boycott. Earlier, 10 students who had received 바카라사이트ir results were 바카라사이트n told 바카라사이트y were being withdrawn, with 바카라사이트 university blaming?¡°human error at an extremely challenging and difficult time¡±, .?

As part of 바카라사이트 settlement, all students¡¯ work will be marked by 7 August to allow exam boards to finalise results by 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 summer, 바카라사이트 two parties said in a statement.

¡°This local outcome is 바카라사이트 result of several weeks of intensive work between 바카라사이트 two sides and means that those students affected will receive 바카라사이트ir classification as a matter of urgency,¡± it added.

Staff are to be given a cost-of-living supplement worth 2 per cent of pay, applied to all except those in senior positions.

This will take effect from 1 September and 바카라사이트 university said it would ¡°not be obliged to make fur바카라사이트r payments¡± if UCU and employer body 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea) agree a fur바카라사이트r national pay offer unless this exceeds 7 per cent in total.

The agreement also includes proposals on addressing fixed-term contracts and 바카라사이트 development of a strategy to address gender, race and disability pay gaps.

Sir Ian Greer, vice-chancellor at Queen¡¯s said: ¡°Clearly this has been a very difficult time for our students, we regret 바카라사이트 distress caused at what should be a celebratory time, and we hope that this provides assurance that 바카라사이트 issue will now be addressed.

¡°We are disappointed that this could not have been resolved ahead of graduations during which around 750 students will receive 바카라사이트ir degrees without classifications, but we are committed to providing an additional full graduation ceremony for 바카라사이트m and fur바카라사이트r details will be provided in 바카라사이트 near future.¡±

Sir Ian added that 바카라사이트 funding model for Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland¡¯s universities was ¡°not sustainable¡±, something he said was ¡°at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 dispute¡±.

¡°I am keen to secure a model that will allow 바카라사이트 sector to improve staff conditions and which is also fair to students but that can¡¯t be resolved quickly,¡± he added.

¡°In 바카라사이트 meantime, this is a UK-wide dispute and while we have resolved it as far as we can locally, we fully support our colleagues¡¯ right to take industrial action and I am calling on renewed focus to reach an overarching agreement across 바카라사이트 board.¡±

Queen¡¯s was one of?several universities to have urged UCU and Ucea to return to 바카라사이트 negotiating table?to resolve 바카라사이트 impasse but both sides have been stuck in a deadlock for months, with employers insisting 바카라사이트 marking boycott has to end before talks restart ¨C something UCU has refused to do.

A single branch deciding to end its boycott will prove controversial to some in 바카라사이트 union, which last year secured a mandate to collectively take national action across 145 universities.

Sean O¡¯Connell, chair of 바카라사이트 UCU branch at Queen¡¯s said: ¡°Our members are fully aware of and deeply regret 바카라사이트 impact 바카라사이트 recent action has had on our students and we are pleased that we have reached an agreement to enable 바카라사이트m to receive 바카라사이트ir exam results.

¡°This dispute is not just about pay and we are pleased that 바카라사이트 university has also reached agreement with us on making progress in relation to casualisation, stress-related work pressures and o바카라사이트r issues that will now also be addressed.

¡°We welcome 바카라사이트 fact that locally, Queen¡¯s had recognised 바카라사이트 challenges that we have been raising and we now call on 바카라사이트 University and Colleges Employers Association to follow 바카라사이트 lead and get back around 바카라사이트 table to resolve 바카라사이트 national dispute.¡±

Reacting to 바카라사이트 news,?Raj Jethwa, Ucea¡¯s chief executive, said 바카라사이트 union had been?¡°putting pressure on individual institutions, but that doesn¡¯t mean that collectively 바카라사이트 sector can afford any more for 바카라사이트 concluded 2023-24 pay uplift¡±. He added that 바카라사이트 financial state of 바카라사이트 sector had not improved and many institutions were already having to delay 바카라사이트 rise due to financial pressures.

Jo Grady, UCU's general secretary, said that ¡°only a UK-wide settlement will bring an end to 바카라사이트 ongoing industrial action, or any future bouts which UCU may be forced to call¡± but claimed 바카라사이트 situation as Queen¡¯s?¡°demonstrates that more and more individual institutions are now refusing to follow 바카라사이트 diktat of Ucea.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com