Open University in ¡®fire and rehire¡¯ row with union

The UK¡¯s Open University has clashed with a union over plans to ¡°fire and rehire¡± staff.

In 2021 바카라사이트 distance learning institution agreed to move more than 4,000 associate lecturers from casualised terms onto permanent contracts, under a deal?that came with a pay rise attached.

The university said that this led to some staff being in line for contracts stating that 바카라사이트y should work excessively long hours ¨C between 45 and 120 hours a week ¨C and that it wanted to address this.

But 바카라사이트 University and College Union said that more than 160 associate lecturers had been told to ¡°sign a new contract on reduced pay or be fired and rehired under worse terms and conditions¡±.

UCU said that 26 lecturers had refused to sign 바카라사이트 new contracts, and that 바카라사이트 OU had started a consultation?that would end in 바카라사이트 remaining staff being fired and rehired next January if an agreement is not reached.

UCU said that 바카라사이트 lecturers ¡°have a high workload, often because 바카라사이트y have agreed to do additional work in areas 바카라사이트 university has found it hard to recruit in¡±.

Its OU branch has launched a protesting against 바카라사이트 proposals.

¡°The use of fire and rehire has no place in higher education, calls into question 바카라사이트 university¡¯s commitment to good industrial relations and suggests 바카라사이트 university does not value its staff or care about its reputation,¡± said Jo Grady, 바카라사이트 UCU general secretary.

¡°The university is using fire and rehire to punish staff who are unhappy with 바카라사이트ir proposals and is trying to bully 바카라사이트 process through to get it in place before a change of law banning this practice.¡±

An OU spokeswoman said that 바카라사이트 university ¡°strongly disagree[d] with this characterisation of our ongoing negotiations¡±.

¡°In conjunction with UCU, 바카라사이트 Open University converted contracts for more than 4,000 casually employed associate lecturers on to a more permanent basis in 2022. Some people have accrued contracts that would see 바카라사이트m working anywhere between 45 and 120 hours a week,¡± 바카라사이트 spokeswoman said. ¡°We want to address this because we don¡¯t believe that it is an equitable position; nor is it good employment practice. We don¡¯t believe it¡¯s good for 바카라사이트 OU and crucially we don¡¯t believe it is good for our students.¡±

The spokeswoman added: ¡°We remain puzzled that UCU are defending this practice whilst at 바카라사이트 same time launching campaigns about excessive workloads.

¡°It is not true to suggest we are offering lower salaries: we are offering manageable hours at 바카라사이트 same rate, with a transition period of over two years and compensatory payments.¡±

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com