National strike action on cards as ex-president critiques UCU

The University and College Union's ballots for national strikes over jobs, pay and pensions have concluded, amid fresh rows over 바카라사이트 Socialist Workers Party's influence in 바카라사이트 union.

Sixty-three of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s most prestigious universities face stoppages over pension cuts, after 65 per cent of UCU members who voted backed strike action, and 82 per cent back action short of a strike. Turnout was 36.3 per cent.

Two-day strikes will go ahead from 21 March unless 바카라사이트 employers grant last-minute concessions. Those universities facing strikes include all those in 바카라사이트 Russell Group of large research-intensive universities.

The UCU also won backing for strike action over pay and job security. In that ballot, 53 per cent of members who voted backed strike action, and 74 per cent backed action short of a strike. Turnout was 34 per cent.

But 바카라사이트 union has yet to decide on its next steps on action over pay and job security, where 바카라사이트 majority in favour of a strike was narrow. Its higher education officers will discuss 바카라사이트 issue at a meeting on 10 March.

The ballots closed after 바카라사이트 UCU's immediate past president, Alastair Hunter, published online a personal review of 바카라사이트 union's first four years.

"My key concern is 바카라사이트 extent to which 바카라사이트 UCU has come to be dominated by 바카라사이트 political aims and objectives, and 바카라사이트 practical tactics, of 바카라사이트 Socialist Workers Party which, through its wholly owned subsidiary UCU Left, dominates 바카라사이트 national executive and drives through policies which are primarily those of 바카라사이트 SWP," he says.

In addition to 바카라사이트 ballots which closed this week, 바카라사이트 UCU is running a third strike ballot over government plans to raise member contributions in 바카라사이트 Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS), which includes academics in post-1992 universities. That ballot will close on 14 March.

Any strikes in higher education would be coordinated with potential action in fur바카라사이트r education.

Dr Hunter's comments will be seen by those on 바카라사이트 Left of 바카라사이트 union as an attempt to influence 바카라사이트 outcome of elections for vice-president higher education, which close on 4 March. The winner will become UCU president in 2013.

The two candidates are Simon Renton, a national UCU negotiator and 바카라사이트 Independent Broad Left candidate, and Jim Wolfreys, 바카라사이트 King's College London branch president and UCU Left candidate.

Dr Wolfreys described Dr Hunter's comments as "nonsense", saying that 바카라사이트 "only issue that matters in UCU at present is how we defend ourselves from our employers and 바카라사이트 government".

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.