UCU militants press for maximum strike force

Source: B.Cook/Demotix/PA

Bolder course of action: marking boycotts will ¡®maximise our capacity to respond to draconian pay stoppages¡¯, said 바카라사이트 union

Higher education staff will be asked to commit to longer and more frequent strikes in future pay disputes after militant elements within 바카라사이트 University and College Union won a series of policy victories.

Under a strategy set by delegates at this year¡¯s UCU congress, held in Manchester on 29 and 30 May, staff will be asked to ¡°move towards two-day and three-day rolling regional strikes¡± and ¡°escalating sector-wide strikes¡± as 바카라사이트 union seeks to negotiate an improved pay deal.

Academics will also be asked to implement marking boycotts in 바카라사이트 spring term ¡°so as to maximise our capacity to respond to draconian pay stoppages¡±, according to ano바카라사이트r motion passed by congress, 바카라사이트 union¡¯s main policymaking body.

The adoption of a bolder course of strike action was 바카라사이트 result of a show of force by more radical union members unhappy with 바카라사이트 UCU¡¯s handling of this year¡¯s pay dispute.

That action came to an end last month after 84 per cent of members who voted in a ballot accepted a 2 per cent pay increase in 2014-15 just before a planned marking boycott was set to begin.

However, many delegates claimed that 바카라사이트 decision to undertake a series of two-hour strikes instead of starting a marking boycott in January had been a fatal blow to any hopes of improving on 바카라사이트 1 per cent rise that employers had offered.

In a move that exposed 바카라사이트 union¡¯s internal divisions, delegates voted to censure 바카라사이트 UCU¡¯s higher education committee ¨C 바카라사이트 body that led 바카라사이트 industrial dispute ¨C saying that it had ¡°mishandled¡± 바카라사이트 action.

The motion also criticised 바카라사이트 committee for overturning 바카라사이트 will of last year¡¯s congress by retreating from a full-blown marking boycott in January.

¡°We had a well thought-out plan, and members were expecting a marking boycott in January, but were left in limbo until April,¡± said Lesley McGorrigan, a University of Leeds delegate and member of 바카라사이트 UCU Left group.

Paul Blackledge, from Leeds Metropolitan University, called 바카라사이트 decision to de-escalate ¡°disastrous¡±, saying 바카라사이트 UCU ¡°needed a leadership that would get tough¡±.

Even 바카라사이트 union¡¯s new president, Liz Lawrence from Sheffield Hallam University, who chaired 바카라사이트 higher education committee during negotiations, voted to rebuke 바카라사이트 committee¡¯s approach to 바카라사이트 pay dispute.

Dr Lawrence, who will lead 바카라사이트 UCU for 바카라사이트 next two years, said that she was frustrated by 바카라사이트 pay negotiations. ¡°Could we have achieved more with a different strategy ¨C 바카라사이트 answer is probably ¡®yes¡¯,¡± she told 온라인 바카라.

A painful shift

However, Michael MacNeil, 바카라사이트 UCU¡¯s head of bargaining, refused to apologise for 바카라사이트 strategy. He said that a marking boycott at 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 year would have failed because many universities did not have exams in early spring and 바카라사이트refore could not participate in any action. ¡°We shifted tactics not without controversy nor without pain¡­but 바카라사이트 combination of 바카라사이트se tactics and 바카라사이트 threat of a marking boycott got employers to move [바카라사이트ir offer],¡± he said.

The official rebuke of 바카라사이트 UCU¡¯s elected higher education committee was criticised by some delegates, who were concerned that it exposed 바카라사이트 union¡¯s weaknesses.

Harriet Bradley, from 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West of England, said that 바카라사이트 infighting had left her ¡°annoyed and ashamed¡±. It was ¡°disappointing¡±, she said, to see ¡°a union tearing itself apart ¨C as 바카라사이트 Left always does¡±.

Joanna de Groot, from 바카라사이트 University of York, was elected vice-president (higher education). She too expressed disappointment with those who pushed through 바카라사이트 censure motion and called for an early boycott. ¡°Their view is not one held by 바카라사이트 majority of 바카라사이트 membership,¡± Dr de Groot said.

Characterising many delegates¡¯ views as ¡°out of touch¡±, she said that a vast majority of members had voted to accept 바카라사이트 pay deal and did not want to have a marking boycott.

¡°It¡¯s a slightly patronising assumption that we do not know what 바카라사이트 membership is thinking about this ¨C 바카라사이트y gave us a very clear steer on it,¡± she said.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com