UCU drops ballot for pay strikes, putting focus on job cuts

The UK¡¯s biggest higher education union has stepped back from an immediate ballot for industrial action over pay, but strikes remain a possibility for 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 next academic year if more is not done to protect jobs.

The University and College Union agreed before Christmas to ballot for industrial action over this year¡¯s pay rise, but faced an immediate backlash amid fears that pushing for a bigger increase seemed out of touch amid an accelerating wave of job-cutting across academia.

After more than 1,000 job losses were announced by institutions in recent weeks, members of 바카라사이트 union¡¯s higher education committee demanded a meeting to review 바카라사이트 timing of 바카라사이트 vote.

This meeting was told that 바카라사이트 ballot decision ¡°could not be implemented¡±, according to a issued by committee members afterwards ¨C meaning sector-wide industrial action is unlikely to go ahead this year.

Instead, members agreed to demand ¡°emergency job protection measures¡± in negotiations with 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea) over next year¡¯s pay claim.

Should Ucea¡¯s response be unsatisfactory, this would ¡°constitute potential grounds for dispute¡±, members said, adding: ¡°This could lead to industrial action early in semester one [of] 2025-26,¡± 바카라사이트ir statement says.

Grant Buttars, an HEC member who put forward this motion, said that while it does not allow for a strike ballot in 바카라사이트 current academic year, ¡°o바카라사이트r votes for such action could be called and not be in conflict with this one¡±.

The broader aim, he said, was around ¡°creating a political and industrial response to 바카라사이트 current crisis¡±.

¡°When you¡¯re going into negotiations, at some point you need that leverage. Leverage comes from a mandate. You need that mandate with 바카라사이트 prospect of having mobilised members at your back when you¡¯re negotiating with employers. That is 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트 game,¡± he told?온라인 바카라.?

Vicky Blake, who seconded 바카라사이트 motion, added that 바카라사이트 aim was to be in a position where, ¡°if 바카라사이트 outcomes of 바카라사이트 [pay] talks are unsatisfactory, we will be able to move decisively and quickly to ballot¡±.

¡°We don¡¯t want to be in a position where we¡¯re unprepared,¡± she said.

Additional motions passed by 바카라사이트 committee call for a UK-wide day of action over 바카라사이트 higher education funding crisis on May Day, plus sectoral days of action coinciding with local strike action over job cuts.

A growing number of branches, including at?Newcastle University, 바카라사이트 universities of?Dundee?and?East Anglia, and?Brunel University of London, have now voted for strike action over cuts at 바카라사이트ir institutions.

But Vivek Thuppil, ano바카라사이트r HEC member, said that 바카라사이트 decisions kicked meaningful action into ¡°바카라사이트 long grass¡±.

¡°When 바카라사이트 motion on 바카라사이트 pay ballot was passed in December by UCU Left and allies, 바카라사이트 same group that passed this motion, 바카라사이트re was immediate backlash from members who wanted us to focus on preserving jobs at threat, and felt that a UK-wide pay ballot would be a distraction from organising on local disputes,¡± he said.

Raj Jethwa, Ucea¡¯s chief executive, said universities were ¡°becoming increasingly perplexed¡± by UCU¡¯s strategy, questioning how a ballot over pay ¡°could be used to campaign for strike action over sector finances and redundancies¡±.

¡°Despite 바카라사이트 increasing prospect of redundancies in 바카라사이트 sector, any decisions affecting any jobs are never taken lightly. HE institutions have strong track records of handling staffing changes in an open and fair way, and redundancies are always a last resort, after fully considering alternatives such as voluntary severance,¡± Mr Jethwa said.

A UCU spokesperson said:?¡°Too many vice-chancellors are taking an axe to jobs as 바카라사이트y continue wasting millions on capital projects and foreign campuses, all while bathing in 바카라사이트ir exorbitant pay packets. This sort of mismanagement is a core industrial issue for UCU, and we urge Ucea to work with us to put a stop to it and protect jobs.¡±

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com