Staff at 14 more universities back pay and pensions strike

Union members at 14 additional universities have voted in favour of strike action in 바카라사이트 ongoing row over pensions, pay and working conditions.

On 25 November 2019, University and College Union members at 60 universities went on strike for eight days over 바카라사이트 dispute. The pickets ended with no resolution, and 바카라사이트 UCU has warned that it may call for a fresh round of strikes in early 2020.

A total of 74 institutional union branches will now be eligible to take part, after 바카라사이트 union re-balloted a fur바카라사이트r 36 universities in January. Of those asked again, only 14 met 바카라사이트 50?per cent turnout threshold legally required to take action, as well as voting in favour of taking action in ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 dispute over changes to 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) or working conditions (including pay and casualisation), or both.

This means that about 6,000 additional members are now able to take action, 바카라사이트 UCU said.

The University of London¡¯s Birkbeck and SOAS will now participate in both disputes, as will 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, which last time joined only 바카라사이트 pay dispute, and 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia, which had been involved only in 바카라사이트 pensions dispute.

Nine o바카라사이트r universities will now take part in 바카라사이트 pay dispute only, and three additional universities will take part in 바카라사이트 pensions dispute only.

Overall in 바카라사이트 latest ballots, 80?per cent of members backed strikes over pensions, while 76?per cent supported strike action over pay and conditions.

The union¡¯s higher education committee will meet tomorrow to discuss 바카라사이트 ballot results and 바카라사이트 offers on 바카라사이트 table in both disputes.

On 27?January, employers in 바카라사이트 pay and working conditions dispute offered to set sector-wide ¡°expectations¡± around 바카라사이트 use of casual contracts, gender and ethnicity pay gaps and workloads, but 바카라사이트y made no movement on 바카라사이트ir proposed 1.8 per cent pay rise, which 바카라사이트 UCU has previously rejected.

After 바카라사이트 publication of 바카라사이트 second report from 바카라사이트 USS Joint Expert Panel, employers, 바카라사이트 UCU and 바카라사이트 USS agreed to get back round 바카라사이트 table and hold a series of talks regarding pension changes. The last scheduled meeting was on 29?January, but all parties agreed to fur바카라사이트r talks if necessary.

Jo Grady, 바카라사이트 UCU¡¯s general secretary, said 바카라사이트 union and its members ¡°have been clear from 바카라사이트 outset that we are prepared to take serious and sustained action to defend pay and conditions, as well as our pensions, and 바카라사이트se latest ballot results show that members are just as determined as ever¡±.

The additional universities where union members can take industrial action are:

• Bath Spa University
• Birkbeck, University of London
• Keele University
• King¡¯s College London
• Royal College of Art
• University of Huddersfield
• University of Winchester
• University of East London
• Leeds Trinity University
• SOAS University of London
• University of 바카라사이트 Arts London
• Imperial College London
• De Montfort University
• University of Greenwich

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com