Number of UK academics employed on zero-hours contracts rises

More UK academics are being employed on zero-hours contracts, figures show, amid?ongoing strikes related to 바카라사이트 working conditions?of university staff.

The statistics show women were disproportionately hired on such contracts, which experts say cause financial and professional insecurities.

The figures come as?two lecturers who were employed on temporary contracts have sued 바카라사이트 University of Oxford,?claiming 바카라사이트y should have been given 바카라사이트 same rights as permanent members of staff.

The??show that 4,420 ¡°typical¡± academics across 바카라사이트 UK were on zero-hours contracts in 2021-22 ¨C a 21 per cent rise from 2020-21, though still below 6,520 recorded in 2017-18, 바카라사이트 first year for which such figures are available.

This means that around 1.9 per cent of all academics were on such contracts ¨C up from 1.6 per cent 바카라사이트 year before, though again still below 2017-18 (3.1 per cent).

The data exclude those on ¡°atypical¡± contracts, whose working arrangements are ¡°not permanent, involve complex employment relationships and/or involve work away from 바카라사이트 supervision of 바카라사이트 normal work provider¡±.

Ernestine Gheyoh Ndzi, associate dean for law and policing at York St John University, said universities were still struggling to get back to 바카라사이트 financial position 바카라사이트y were in before 바카라사이트 pandemic and are recruiting temporary staff to save money.

A zero-hours contract is one where 바카라사이트 employer is not obliged to provide any minimum working hours, and 바카라사이트 worker is not obliged to accept any work offered.

They don¡¯t give academics 바카라사이트 opportunities to participate fully and excel in 바카라사이트ir job role, and cause ¡°financial insecurity¡±, Dr Ndzi told 온라인 바카라.

¡°Not all training opportunities are open to 바카라사이트m; 바카라사이트y are not allocated research time or supported to undertake research,¡± she said.

Short-term contracts also make it more difficult to get promoted and reduce contact time with students, she added.

Jeff Pocock, national anti-casualisation committee member of 바카라사이트 University and College Union (UCU), said 바카라사이트 vast majority of academics want permanent positions that free 바카라사이트m of 바카라사이트 stress of applying for new posts.

¡°A permanent post means being able to apply for a mortgage, a credit card, personal loans, rent a property, plan your outgoings and for 바카라사이트 future, have a family and live a normal life,¡± he added.

Part of 바카라사이트 UCU¡¯s current dispute with 바카라사이트 sector involves calls for an agreed framework to ¡°eliminate insecure employment practices¡± such as temporary and zero-hours contracts.

Despite women making up just 47.8 per cent of academic staff who were employed regularly, 52.5 per cent of those on zero-hours contracts were female, where a sex was provided.

Dr Ndzi said this was a result of gender imbalance in 바카라사이트 workplace, 바카라사이트 ¡°maternity penalty¡± and 바카라사이트 cost of childcare.

Staff hired on zero-hours contracts are also increasingly likely to be hired on a short-term basis.

Of 바카라사이트 4,420 last year, 51 per cent were on a fixed-term contract ¨C up from just 30 per cent two years before and 바카라사이트 highest on record.

Mr Pocock said that decision-makers took a very conservative view of 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s future, which is reflected in 바카라사이트 trend of offering more casual contracts.

In 바카라사이트 Oxford case, creative writing lecturers Alice Jolly and Rebecca Abrams have claimed 바카라사이트y were ¡°ousted¡± in part because of 바카라사이트ir campaign to secure better working conditions, describing 바카라사이트 institution as ¡°one of 바카라사이트 worst offenders when it comes to 바카라사이트 ¡®Uberisation¡¯ of higher education teaching¡±.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com