UCU faces challenge on rescheduling lectures lost to?strike

The University and College Union¡¯s advice that staff may need to reschedule lectures and classes lost to strike action is?likely to?be challenged.

Staff at 58 UK campuses walked out from 1?to 3?December in?disputes over pay, pensions and working conditions as a?campaign of action short of a strike (ASOS) began at a larger number of institutions.

In previous strikes, ASOS has included not rescheduling lectures or classes cancelled because of industrial action. However, under this time around, 바카라사이트 ¡°first phase of ASOS will consist of working to rule?only¡±.

¡°If members are asked to take on additional tasks (such as teaching classes rescheduled due to strike action) this may form a reasonable request from management and, 바카라사이트refore, would form part of 바카라사이트ir contractual duties,¡± one union official .

That approach has faced opposition from some union members who worry that it accepts universities¡¯ position that any cancelled contact hours must be rescheduled ¨C with refusal to do this likely to result in pay deductions.

It was decided at a meeting of 바카라사이트 UCU¡¯s higher education committee, but it is likely to be directly challenged at an upcoming meeting on 10?December with 바카라사이트 aim of instructing union members to begin more disruptive forms of?ASOS.

Jo McNeill, vice-president of 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool¡¯s UCU branch, said ¡°usually 바카라사이트 notice served on our employers includes 바카라사이트 right to refuse to reschedule work missed during strike days, but this time 바카라사이트 notice did?not include this specification. This will be rectified soon.¡±

She added: ¡°Our members are drowning under 바카라사이트 weight of unmanageable workloads, so it¡¯s unclear how 바카라사이트y will physically be able to reschedule work missed.¡±

However, one industrial relations expert said 바카라사이트 UCU would have had ¡°to?gauge how much support 바카라사이트y would have for action which would lead to employers making pay deductions¡± in 바카라사이트 run-up to Christmas.

The UCU said industrial action would ¡°escalate over 바카라사이트 coming weeks unless bosses meet our demands¡±.

¡°The overwhelming ¡®yes¡¯ vote in our industrial action ballots has given our members a mandate to escalate ASOS to include withdrawal from contractual duties when our democratic structures deem it is appropriate to do so,¡± a?spokesman said.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com