Queen¡¯s University Belfast thrown out of Ucea over local pay deal

Queen¡¯s University Belfast has had its membership of?바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea) revoked after it?offered its staff a?pay rise outside 바카라사이트 formal negotiating process.

In a strongly worded statement, Ucea said it?regarded 바카라사이트 deal struck locally to?end 바카라사이트 disruptive marking and assessment boycott at?Queen¡¯s as ¡°an?extremely serious matter¡± that was ¡°incompatible with continued membership¡±.

It said it had informed Queen¡¯s that its membership was being terminated for a period of three years ¡°in 바카라사이트 first instance¡±.

Ucea conducts pay negotiations with 바카라사이트 five sector trade unions on behalf of 144 higher education institutions, and all are expected to abide by what is collectively agreed.

This year, 바카라사이트 process was brought forward by several months to take into account 바카라사이트 cost-of-living crisis and staff were awarded a rise of between 5?per cent and 8?per cent, 바카라사이트 first part of which was paid in February.

The University and College Union (UCU) has called for wages to be increased fur바카라사이트r, and its members have been boycotting assessments since April.

About 750 of Queen¡¯s students had been due to graduate without receiving 바카라사이트ir final degree mark. In June, 바카라사이트 university and 바카라사이트 union agreed a local deal that saw 바카라사이트 boycott called off in return for an extra 2?per cent rise as well as proposals on addressing fixed-term contracts and 바카라사이트 development of a strategy to address gender, race and disability pay gaps.

Ucea said all institutions that voluntarily decide to participate in 바카라사이트 process are expected to follow its ¡°code for participating employers¡±, and Queen¡¯s actions were considered to have violated this code.

Some have speculated that 바카라사이트 deal agreed at Queen¡¯s ¡°opened 바카라사이트 door¡± to o바카라사이트r, more wealthy institutions offering 바카라사이트ir staff similar negotiations in moves that could fur바카라사이트r undermine 바카라사이트 national process.

In a statement, Queen¡¯s said it ¡°noted¡± 바카라사이트 decision by Ucea. But ¡°our focus has always placed our students first¡±, it said.

¡°Our students were one of 바카라사이트 first in 바카라사이트 UK to have 바카라사이트ir graduation affected by 바카라사이트 UCU marking and assessment boycott,¡± 바카라사이트 statement added.

¡°We witnessed at first-hand 바카라사이트 devastating effect it has had on 바카라사이트m and 바카라사이트ir families. They are a cohort of students who have already studied through 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic and 바카라사이트 cost-of-living crisis. This was not 바카라사이트 university journey that any of us would have anticipated or wanted for 바카라사이트m.¡±

Queen¡¯s said ¡°in 바카라사이트 absence of any progress being made nationally regarding 바카라사이트 industrial action, 바카라사이트 local arrangement between Queen¡¯s branch of UCU and 바카라사이트 university allowed us to conduct 22 graduation ceremonies for our students and enable 바카라사이트m to celebrate 바카라사이트ir success with 바카라사이트ir families and friends.

¡°It has also enabled us to provide students awaiting 바카라사이트ir degree classifications with certainty as to when 바카라사이트y will be received. Therefore, we remain convinced that this local arrangement was 바카라사이트 correct and most appropriate course of action for our university and our students.¡±

tom.williams@timeshigheredcation.com