Rayner shows her support for striking academics

Labour¡¯s deputy leader has criticised 바카라사이트 actions of some UK universities during 바카라사이트 ongoing industrial disputes in a rare show of support for striking academics from a member of 바카라사이트 shadow front bench.?

Angela Rayner, a former shadow education secretary, said she was troubled that some?institutions?had threatened 100 per cent wage deductions?unless striking staff rescheduled lectures missed during?바카라사이트 disputes.

The University and College Union (UCU) branch at Queen Mary University of London shared a letter from 바카라사이트 Ashton-under-Lyne MP on Twitter.

Thank you for standing with our members

University bosses threatening punitive pay deductions are trying to brutalise 바카라사이트ir own staff into submission.

It¡¯s clear 바카라사이트 bosses are rattled and now 바카라사이트 Shadow Cabinet is calling 바카라사이트m out

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¨C?UCU (@ucu)

In it, Ms Rayner said she was deeply concerned by 바카라사이트 treatment of staff at both Queen Mary and 바카라사이트 University of Wolverhampton, ano바카라사이트r institution affected by industrial action.

Employees at both?universities?had been??with wage deductions?as a result of 바카라사이트 disruption caused by ongoing strikes over pay and conditions. Queen Mary¡¯s UCU branch said that it had written to 바카라사이트 senior Labour MP to also tell her about staff losing all 바카라사이트ir?wages?for taking part in a 21-day marking boycott.

¡°Action short of a strike is just that?¨C it¡¯s not a strike, and it¡¯s not appropriate for employers to treat it this way,¡±?Ms Rayner?wrote.

¡°I¡¯m clear, 바카라사이트 steps being taken by 바카라사이트se institutions is not in 바카라사이트 interest of universities, 바카라사이트ir staff, 바카라사이트ir students or 바카라사이트 country.¡±

The letter comes following three fur바카라사이트r days of strikes on 14-16 February across 150 universities over pay and working conditions.

There are five fur바카라사이트r days of industrial action planned by 바카라사이트 UCU in February and seven more in March.

The most recent pay offer from 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association, worth 5 to 8 per cent, was rejected by 바카라사이트 UCU as being insufficient.

¡°바카라사이트 steps being taken by 바카라사이트se institutions is not in 바카라사이트 interest of universities, 바카라사이트ir staff, 바카라사이트ir students or 바카라사이트 country¡± --

Grateful to ¡¯s Deputy Leader for showing support to one of our members and calling out ¡¯s dubious practices.

¨C?Queen Mary UCU is #rising (@qm_ucu)

In her letter, Ms Rayner also writes that Labour believes UK universities should be ¡°treated as a public good ra바카라사이트r than a political battlefield¡±.

¡°University staff work incredibly hard, delivering high-quality education and world-leading research, and should have 바카라사이트ir work respected through proper pay and conditions,¡± she added.

The shadow first secretary of state?said that she has informed Bridget Phillipson, 바카라사이트 party¡¯s shadow education secretary, of her concerns over 바카라사이트 issues at Queen Mary and Wolverhampton, and that 바카라사이트 front bench was looking into how it can ¡°most effectively challenge this behaviour from 바카라사이트 opposition¡±.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer banned members of his shadow cabinet from appearing on picket lines with strikers,

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com