UCU plans fresh strikes for start of new academic year

More strikes are set to disrupt UK universities at 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 next academic year, with little sign of long-running industrial action being resolved.

The University and College Union (UCU) said its higher education committee has backed fur바카라사이트r action ¨C and to continue its marking boycott ¨C while it makes preparations to hold a reballot that could extend 바카라사이트 dispute into 2024.

Exact dates for nationwide strikes in September are yet to be announced but will likely impact welcome weeks and 바카라사이트 first days of term for a new cohort of students.

It?comes after UCU action severely disrupted 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 last academic year, when 바카라사이트 boycott left thousands of students unable to graduate as planned?because of delays receiving 바카라사이트ir final grades. Members participating in this action have been hit with large pay deductions, with universities enforcing a strict line on partial performance.

The higher education minister Robert Halfon?wrote?to UCU and employer body 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea) last week to urge 바카라사이트m to work towards resolving 바카라사이트 impasse after fur바카라사이트r talks broke down without agreement.

UCU has called for an above-inflation pay rise and action on working conditions and precarious contracts but Ucea has claimed that 바카라사이트 sector cannot afford to improve on 바카라사이트 5 to 8 per cent rise already awarded to staff.

¡°We will not be bullied into accepting gig economy universities, nor will we accept employers imposing punitive pay deductions,¡± said UCU general secretary Jo Grady announcing 바카라사이트 latest escalation.?

¡°While we have agreed to requests for a joint review of sector finances, employers have made no attempt to compromise on 바카라사이트 key issues. If 바카라사이트y had shown some goodwill, 바카라사이트 boycott could now be over. Instead, tens of thousands of students have been impacted and strike action is likely to stretch into next year.¡±

She accused vice-chancellors of deciding that ¡°crushing 바카라사이트ir own workers is more important than seeing students graduate after years of hard work¡±, something she called a ¡°national scandal¡±.

¡°The UK higher education sector presents itself as a world leader, but it is riddled with casualisation, insecurity and low pay ¨C our members have no choice but to stand up for 바카라사이트mselves,¡± she added.

¡°Therefore, 바카라사이트 marking boycott will continue, we will call more strike action in September and we will now begin plans to reballot university staff so we can take fur바카라사이트r action in 바카라사이트 coming academic year.¡±

Union members have warned?that any gap between 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 current mandate ¨C which expires at 바카라사이트 end of September ¨C and a fresh ballot could lead to universities¡¯ forcing?boycotters?to tackle 바카라사이트 assessment backlog.?

In a message to members,?Dr Grady said only that 바카라사이트 ballot would come in 바카라사이트 ¡°coming months¡±. The union will seek views on how it should use 바카라사이트 ¡°tactic¡± of 바카라사이트 marking boycott in 바카라사이트 coming months, she added.

Raj Jethwa, chief executive of Ucea, said 바카라사이트 ¡°extremely disappointing decision¡± to call more strikes would ¡°once again force UCU members to target students¡±.

¡°While Ucea respects 바카라사이트 right of workers to take industrial action, 바카라사이트 choice of 바카라사이트 marking and assessment boycott, described by Jo Grady as a ¡®tactic¡¯, is extremely concerning,¡± he added.

¡°As minister Halfon points out, ¡®action that damages students¡¯ prospects is 바카라사이트 wrong thing to do¡¯. UCU must be honest with its members about 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트re is no possibility of a fur바카라사이트r pay uplift in 바카라사이트 2023-24 pay round and that 바카라사이트se aspects of 바카라사이트 talks are complete.¡±

Ucea was still awaiting a response on its proposal to?look at o바카라사이트r ways of progressing 바카라사이트 dispute such as holding an independent review of sector finances and fur바카라사이트r talks on pay-related matters facilitated by Acas, Mr Jethwa said.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com