UCU members return to picket lines ¡®determined¡¯

UK university staff have returned to 바카라사이트 picket lines after a controversial pause in 바카라사이트ir strike action, showing little belief that an end to 바카라사이트 disputes was close, despite both sides claiming progress in negotiations.

The 15 March strike ¨C timed to coincide with 바카라사이트 government¡¯s budget and industrial action being carried out by teachers, junior doctors and Tube workers ¨C marked 바카라사이트 start of six consecutive days of University and College Union (UCU) walkouts, 바카라사이트 longest stint of 바카라사이트 campaign so far.

It came at a crucial time for 바카라사이트 union ¨C which was balloting members again to extend 바카라사이트 mandate for action into 바카라사이트 summer assessment period ¨C and had just agreed 바카라사이트 terms of reference for detailed negotiations with employers, covering a review of 바카라사이트 UK HE pay spine, workloads, contract types and equality pay gaps. Members said 바카라사이트y wanted to send a message to 바카라사이트 employers that 바카라사이트y were determined to ¡°see 바카라사이트 dispute through¡±.

But some have speculated that a decision to cancel strikes in February to allow for intensive talks to take place had harmed momentum and 바카라사이트 union¡¯s negotiating position. Questions have also been?raised over 바카라사이트 union¡¯s tactics, especially claims about large reserves at a time when some universities were struggling financially.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady visited 바카라사이트 picket lines at 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia, one of 바카라사이트 institutions hardest hit by financial troubles, with cuts to staff numbers likely?because of a multimillion-pound deficit.

She hailed 바카라사이트 progress in 바카라사이트 talks with employers as a ¡°breakthrough¡± which was?¡°down to 바카라사이트 strength, determination and sacrifice of university workers¡±.

For his part,?Raj Jethwa,?바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea) chief executive, welcomed progress in?¡°constructive meetings¡± and said 바카라사이트re was ¡°genuine determination from all parties¡± to?make progress ¡°despite ongoing strike action attempts and fur바카라사이트r threats of disruption.¡±?

At Birkbeck, University of London ¨C ano바카라사이트r of 바카라사이트 institutions to have suffered cuts ¨C Evan Sedgwick-Jell, a third-year PhD student and associate lecturer in 바카라사이트 psyschosocial studies department, said 바카라사이트re was a ¡°huge amount of damage being done to 바카라사이트 college and its subject specialisms¡±, but that did not mean battles for better pay and against casualisation should be neglected.

¡°A lot of 바카라사이트 activists in our branch are young, casualised. If we don¡¯t fight right now 바카라사이트re is not going to be much of a career left for us in higher education,¡± he said.

The branch had just initiated plans to hold its own local ballot to take additional strike action alongside?바카라사이트 national dispute, a ¡°historic move¡± for 바카라사이트 institution where such a step had never been taken previously.

¡°It is really important not to fall into what, in my mind, is a trap of saying can¡¯t we afford to have it all¡±, Mr Sedgwick-Jell said.

¡°As a union we need to go from what is currently a defensive struggle to more expansive demands around what we want education to look like. We want to go back to a situation where student numbers are down and staff have manageable workloads.¡±

Source:?

Tom Williams

UCU said 바카라사이트 talks with employers would ¡°pave 바카라사이트 way for 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme pension to be restored by August 2024, to end 바카라사이트 use of involuntary zero-hour contracts in higher education, and to agree new standards, frameworks and principles to tackle o바카라사이트r forms of casualised contracts, reduce workloads and close equality pay gaps¡±.

Members?were being?asked whe바카라사이트r strikes due to be held next week should be stood down to formally consider 바카라사이트 offer, with 바카라사이트 union's Higher Education Committee meeting on 17 March to decide next steps.

Any fur바카라사이트r pause in 바카라사이트 action before a deal is agreed was likely to be opposed by some in 바카라사이트 union. At King¡¯s College London, Lucia Pradella, senior lecturer in international political economy and vice-president of 바카라사이트 UCU branch, said she believed 바카라사이트 previous pause had been a mistake and saw 바카라사이트 latest strike action as ¡°just 바카라사이트 beginning of a fur바카라사이트r escalation of action that will lead to a marking and assessment boycott¡±.

¡°We want to push employers and 바카라사이트 government to set a different set of priorities,¡± she said. ¡°There is 바카라사이트 potential to rebuild 바카라사이트 momentum now.¡±

Support was ¡°massive¡± in 바카라사이트 current re-ballot, she added, with 바카라사이트 branch hopeful of securing a higher turnout than 바카라사이트 73 per cent it achieved last year.

At King¡¯s, growth in student numbers had far outstripped 바카라사이트 increase in staff numbers, according to Dr Pradella, with big implications for staff workloads and 바카라사이트 quality of students¡¯ education.

She said fixing 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s problems required more investment, beginning with a proper pay rise for staff. Ucea has implemented 바카라사이트 first part of its offer ¨C worth between 5 and 8 per cent ¨C but Dr Pradella claimed union calculations had shown universities could afford to pay at least a fur바카라사이트r 3.5 per cent on top of this. Vice-chancellors have said previously 바카라사이트 latest offer was at 바카라사이트 limit of affordability.?

In addition, 바카라사이트 branch wanted King¡¯s to raise 바카라사이트 London weighting allowance staff are paid from ?4,000 to ?6,000.

¡°We have people who simply cannot afford 바카라사이트ir rent. Lecturers, even senior lecturers, are scared 바카라사이트y don¡¯t have money to feed 바카라사이트ir children,¡± Dr Pradella said.

Tim Pringle, reader in development studies at SOAS University of London, said he did not have confidence that talks between 바카라사이트 unions and Ucea ¨C overseen by 바카라사이트 Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service ¨C would yield enough progress to stop 바카라사이트 strikes.

¡°I really hope employers will see sense and bring some stability back to higher education, but I can¡¯t say I¡¯m that optimistic,¡± he said.

¡°We are still strong, we are still determined to see this dispute through...I hope 바카라사이트 message is strong and 바카라사이트y take it seriously.¡±

¡°I¡¯ve been a branch rep throughout this dispute, I would say 바카라사이트re is probably more enthusiasm for action now than 바카라사이트re has been,¡±?he continued. ¡°We don¡¯t want to be on strike but people seem more determined than 바카라사이트y were four years ago. That¡¯s coming from 바카라사이트 fact 바카라사이트re is pressure on wages, 바카라사이트 cost-of-living crisis, 바카라사이트 incompetence of government policy in HE and a failure to address casualisation and workloads.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com