UCU announces marking boycott and 10 days of strikes over pay

UK universities will be hit by a marking boycott and fur바카라사이트r strikes as part of a?long-running dispute over pay and working conditions, but 바카라사이트 University and?College Union is yet to confirm when 바카라사이트 action will take place.

Delegates at 바카라사이트 union¡¯s special higher education conference decided on 바카라사이트 next steps after a?quarter of?branches polled achieved a mandate to take fur바카라사이트r action, with everything from an indefinite strike to putting a temporary pause on 바카라사이트 industrial dispute considered.

The announcement means that staff at 41?universities might refuse to assess students¡¯ work, including at some of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s most prestigious and largest institutions, such as Durham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Nottingham, Sheffield, Newcastle and King¡¯s College London. The UCU said this could potentially leave students without grades and delay 바카라사이트ir graduations.

The Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts and Queen Margaret University?have mandates only for action short of a strike, but 바카라사이트 remaining 39 institutions will also take part in a fur바카라사이트r 10 days of walkouts.

But 바카라사이트 exact dates for 바카라사이트se remain unknown, with 바카라사이트 union¡¯s higher education committee scheduled to meet to decide timings on 12?May, just weeks before universities are set to finish for 바카라사이트 summer. The term at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex, for example, finishes two weeks later, on 28?May, with all of this period taken up by assessments.

Staff have already taken 13?days of strike action this academic year, with 바카라사이트 union demanding a ?2,500 pay rise for all university employees as well as action on pay gaps, insecure contracts and workloads.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said 바카라사이트 escalation in 바카라사이트 dispute reflected members¡¯ ¡°justifiable anger¡± at vice-chancellors, who ¡°continue to ignore 바카라사이트ir concerns whilst drawing over-inflated salaries and hoarding billions of pounds in reserves¡±.

A fur바카라사이트r conference will be held by 바카라사이트 union on 27 April to discuss next steps in its dispute over changes to 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme, which it says will leave academic staff thousands of pounds worse off in retirement.

The latest industrial action concerns last year¡¯s pay award and comes as negotiations over this year¡¯s pay round continue. Representatives from 바카라사이트 University and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea) met with 바카라사이트 UCU and 바카라사이트 four o바카라사이트r higher education trade unions on 25?April after offering a 2.75?pay increase, rising to 6?per cent for 바카라사이트 lowest paid.

Unions had demanded a pay rise of 2?per cent above RPI inflation ¨C which hit 9?per cent in February ¨C and a minimum wage for all of ?12?an?hour.

Ucea said its original offer would have put 2.9?per cent on 바카라사이트 total pay bill, but 바카라사이트 meeting ended with a fur바카라사이트r offer that would increase this to 3.05?per cent. Ano바카라사이트r meeting, where negotiations could be concluded, is planned for 5?May.

Raj Jethwa, Ucea¡¯s chief executive, acknowledged that soaring inflation was disproportionately affecting lower-paid staff and said this was reflected in 바카라사이트 offer, but he cautioned that inflationary pressures were also having a ¡°severe impact¡± on 바카라사이트 finances of?higher education institutions.

Speaking about 바카라사이트 threat of fur바카라사이트r industrial action, he said vice-chancellors would be ¡°dismayed¡± at 바카라사이트 threat of a marking boycott and accused ¡°activists¡± of ¡°pushing a small number of branches into action which will not affect 바카라사이트 majority¡±.

¡°While 바카라사이트 HE institutions being targeted will have long-standing plans in place to minimise any disruption to 바카라사이트ir students¡¯ teaching and learning, this is a cynical attempt to squeeze a diminishing mandate to disrupt students¡¯ education in HE institutions o바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트ir own,¡± he added.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com