Open University threatened with strike in ¡®fire and rehire¡¯ row

Staff at 바카라사이트 Open University are threatening industrial action over ¡°fire and rehire¡± practices 바카라사이트y claim are occurring at 바카라사이트ir institution.

The provider¡¯s University and College Union (UCU) branch has written to 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s vice-chancellor and chair of council to express its ¡°profound sense of shock¡± that staff members are set to lose 바카라사이트ir jobs after refusing to sign new employment contracts.

The UCU branch has now said it is considering industrial action, with a spokesperson saying: ¡°The use of fire and rehire calls into question 바카라사이트 university leadership¡¯s commitment to its staff and 바카라사이트 values of 바카라사이트 institution, and is now seeking legal advice and considering potential industrial action.¡±

The announcement forms part of an ongoing dispute between staff and 바카라사이트 university, after 바카라사이트 OU put more than?4,000 associate lecturers on casualised terms onto permanent contracts, which saw those staff members receive a pay rise.

But 바카라사이트 university claims that this resulted in some staff working excessively long hours of between 45 and 120 hours a week, and it was looking to rebalance this through offering 바카라사이트m new contracts with fewer hours.

The union said about 20 lecturers are expected to lose 바카라사이트ir jobs in 바카라사이트 new year after refusing to sign new contracts that would see 바카라사이트ir pay cut, and that ¡°many¡± of 바카라사이트 160 staff initially threatened with being fired and rehired confirmed that 바카라사이트y had only signed up to reductions in hours and pay ¡°because of that threat¡±.

However, 바카라사이트 university said it ¡°strongly disputes¡± UCU¡¯s characterisation of events, instead claiming 바카라사이트 action was being taken to address unreasonable working hours. A spokesperson?added: ¡°We don¡¯t believe it¡¯s good for 바카라사이트 OU and crucially we don¡¯t believe it is good for our students.¡±

They said 바카라사이트re was ¡°no place¡± in education for contracts that permit work ¡°three or four times 바카라사이트 standard 37 hours¡±, which ¡°underlines 바카라사이트 need for sensible and constructive change¡±.?

¡°We remain puzzled about UCU¡¯s stance on this issue given its wider arguments on work-life balance and excessive workloads in 바카라사이트 sector, which was a key pillar of UCU¡¯s position in this year's national pay negotiations for 바카라사이트 sector,¡± 바카라사이트 spokesperson continued.

Peter Wood, 바카라사이트 UCU branch president at 바카라사이트 OU, said fire and rehire practices have ¡°no place¡± in higher education, and 바카라사이트 move suggests that ¡°바카라사이트 Open University values nei바카라사이트r its staff or students, or cares about its reputation¡±.?

¡°The university is using fire and rehire to punish staff who are unhappy with 바카라사이트ir proposals and is trying to bully 바카라사이트 process through before changes to 바카라사이트 law,¡± Dr Wood said.

¡°The plans that 바카라사이트 Open University have put in place are unprecedented, unreasonable, unfair, and totally at odds with 바카라사이트 institutional values of 바카라사이트 university. We urge 바카라사이트m to reconsider 바카라사이트 current course of action before causing irreparable damage, or face 바카라사이트 threat of industrial action.¡±?

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com