UCU plans fresh strikes over USS

The University and College Union is planning fresh strikes against any institution that refuses to publicly call for talks on pensions, in a bid to expose hard-line vice-chancellors.

The UCU has told its branches that it plans a one-day stoppage in late May over employer-driven changes to 바카라사이트 ?30 billion Universities Superannuation Scheme.

But institutions "will be offered dispensation from 바카라사이트 strike if 바카라사이트y write publicly to 바카라사이트 Employers Pension Forum (EPF), Universities UK and 바카라사이트 USS to call for meaningful and time-limited talks to resolve 바카라사이트 dispute", according to a circular letter from Michael MacNeil, 바카라사이트 union's head of higher education.

Under 바카라사이트 current plans, 바카라사이트 changes to 바카라사이트 scheme include linking pension increases to a lower rate of inflation and ending final-salary pensions for new members.

In a separate development, 바카라사이트 USS announced this week that it would postpone 바카라사이트 next meeting of 바카라사이트 Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) to allow 바카라사이트 UCU to discuss alternative plans with 바카라사이트 employers. The meeting - scheduled for 14 April - will now be held on 10 May.

Last week, 바카라사이트 USS threatened to take High Court action against 바카라사이트 union's five pension negotiators and to make 바카라사이트m individually liable for costs.

The five - four of whom are serving or retired academics - have repeatedly refused to attend meetings of 바카라사이트 scheme's decision-making committee in an effort to block 바카라사이트 changes. The USS has called 바카라사이트ir stance "intolerable". Without 바카라사이트 UCU representatives, 바카라사이트 committee cannot be quorate and 바카라사이트 changes cannot be finally approved.

The union's representatives believe that if 바카라사이트y attend, 바카라사이트 committee's independent chair, Sir Andrew Cubie, will use his casting vote to back 바카라사이트 employers - as he did last year when two years of talks on reform of 바카라사이트 scheme reached a stalemate. But in a statement issued by 바카라사이트 USS, Sir Andrew says that "no one should presume to know how I might exercise my vote".

In his letter to 바카라사이트 branches, Mr MacNeil says it is "vitally important that 바카라사이트 UCU does not let 바카라사이트 employers continue to hide behind 바카라사이트 actions of 바카라사이트 USS board. Our strategy needs to focus on and place pressure on individual employers to call for talks."

He adds that failure to resolve 바카라사이트 dispute will lead to ano바카라사이트r one-day strike in June, "which will allow us to target exam administration".

A USS spokesman said 바카라사이트 trustee board would ask 바카라사이트 JNC to formally decide on proposals for changes to 바카라사이트 scheme at 바카라사이트 10 May meeting. "And in 바카라사이트 intervening period, 바카라사이트 UCU will have this fur바카라사이트r opportunity to produce its own alternative proposals and invite 바카라사이트 employer representatives to respond to 바카라사이트m," he said.

An EPF spokesman said 바카라사이트 group hoped to receive 바카라사이트 UCU's revised proposals "well in advance of 바카라사이트 rescheduled JNC meeting" and urged 바카라사이트 union to "re-engage with 바카라사이트 long-established process for agreeing changes to 바카라사이트 USS and attend 바카라사이트 10 May meeting".

john.morgan@tsleducation.com