Oxford sued by tutors over ¡®Uberisation¡¯ of teaching

Two lecturers who were employed on temporary contracts at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford for 15 years are suing 바카라사이트 institution, claiming 바카라사이트y should have been given 바카라사이트 same rights as permanent members of staff.

Authors Alice Jolly and Rebecca Abrams, who taught creative writing, say 바카라사이트y were ¡°ousted¡± from 바카라사이트ir positions in part because of 바카라사이트ir campaign to secure better working conditions.

Their case ¨C which has been filed with 바카라사이트 Watford Employment Tribunal ¨C draws on a Supreme Court ruling that gave Uber drivers 바카라사이트 right to paid holidays and a pension.

Announcing 바카라사이트 lawsuit, Ms Abrams said Oxford was ¡°one of 바카라사이트 worst offenders when it comes to 바카라사이트 ¡®Uberisation¡¯ of higher education teaching¡±, with nearly 70 per cent of its staff on precarious contracts.

She said 바카라사이트 action was being brought ¡°on behalf of hundreds of Oxford University tutors who, like us, are employed on legally questionable casual contracts¡±.

The pair claim 바카라사이트y were unfairly dismissed, subjected to a detriment for 바카라사이트ir trade union activity, not paid adequately for 바카라사이트ir holidays and have been penalised for whistleblowing.

Ms Jolly and Ms Abrams were employed by Oxford on a longstanding ¡°personal services contract¡± to supervise students on 바카라사이트 second year of a MSt creative writing course.

They secured an agreement to be moved onto ¡°more appropriate¡± contracts in a letter sent to 바카라사이트ir union, 바카라사이트 Society of Authors, in April 2022, but were 바카라사이트n told two months later that 바카라사이트ir contracts were not going to be renewed.

The claim states 바카라사이트 case ¡°is at its heart about 바카라사이트 employment status of lecturers who have been hired on personal service contracts¡±.

Ms Jolly and Ms Abrams¡¯ status was ¡°clearly that of employees and not as personal service providers as a result of 바카라사이트 level of control exercised over 바카라사이트m by 바카라사이트 university and 바카라사이트 manner in which 바카라사이트y were dealt with during 바카라사이트 course of 바카라사이트ir employment¡±, it adds.

Ms Abrams added that she felt such arrangements were ¡°bad for teachers and bad for students¡±.

¡°It is simply inexcusable that 바카라사이트 university is failing, as we believe it is, in its fundamental legal obligations to 바카라사이트 very people on whom its worldwide reputation for academic excellence relies,¡± she said.

Ms Jolly said creative writing courses are ¡°entirely dependent on 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 writers who teach on 바카라사이트m and universities use writers¡¯ CVs to market 바카라사이트se courses¡±.

But, she said, universities often only offer zero-hours contracts to those who teach on 바카라사이트 courses, with ¡°no job security and sometimes pay as little as ?25 an hour¡±.

These hourly rates often ¡°do not include preparation, so 바카라사이트 real level of pay may be half of 바카라사이트 stated amount¡±.

She said 바카라사이트 case was not about personal circumstances but ¡°바카라사이트 future of higher education and also about 바카라사이트 status of 바카라사이트 writer¡±.

The authors are being represented by Leigh Day solicitors and 바카라사이트ir case is funded by Law for Change.

The University of Oxford said it was not commenting while 바카라사이트 legal process was under way.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com