UCU stages pay walk-out

Thousands of University and College Union members joined protests on campuses across 바카라사이트 UK on 28 January during 바카라사이트 walk-out between 2pm and 4pm.

The action follows a similar walk-out on 23 January, with a third whole-day strike due to take place on 6 February when workers from Unite, Unison and EIS unions will also be involved.

About one in five universities are set to deduct an entire day¡¯s pay for 바카라사이트 two-hour stoppage, claiming 바카라사이트 action constitutes ¡°partial performance¡± for 바카라사이트 whole day, 바카라사이트 UCU has reported, though 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association says 바카라사이트 figure is closer to half of all institutions.

UCU has said it will pursue any universities who ¡°unfairly¡± withhold a whole day¡¯s pay for 바카라사이트 two-hour actions, stating such actions are an attempt to ¡°bully¡± staff into stopping industrial action.

The latest industrial action follows discontent over a 1 per cent pay offer for 2012-13, which follows four successive below-inflation rises that unions claim have led to a 13 per cent cut in wages in real terms since 2009.

However, Ucea have said 바카라사이트y expected a repeat of 23 January when?¡°almost all higher education institutions reported no or low impact on institutional operations and teaching¡±.

Claiming 바카라사이트re is ¡°very limited support for this dispute¡± among university staff as a whole, a Ucea spokesman added: ¡°Staff in higher education institutions know that 바카라사이트 3 per cent or more that has already been spent on pay increases for last year is at 바카라사이트 limits of what can be afforded.¡±

With talk now centred on 바카라사이트 next steps for 바카라사이트 unions, many are calling for members to escalate 바카라사이트 action by holding a marking boycott in 바카라사이트 summer term.

That is only 바카라사이트 way to win fur바카라사이트r concessions from employers, who have refused to improve 바카라사이트 1 per cent pay offer, said Gregor Gall, professor of industrial relations at 바카라사이트 University of Bradford.

¡°Winning 바카라사이트 dispute, which would mean getting at least a 2 per cent rise given 바카라사이트 lost pay so far, is going to take much more hard hitting action than strikes,¡± said Professor Gall.

¡°Whilst 바카라사이트 unions wish to act toge바카라사이트r, most easily through striking, it is 바카라사이트 UCU members in particular that have 바카라사이트 potential leverage to ¡®stop 바카라사이트 system¡¯ and so revisiting 바카라사이트 no exam setting and no exam marking tactics is essential,¡± he added.

Meanwhile, outsourced cleaners at 바카라사이트 University of London travelled on an open-top bus around 바카라사이트 capital as 바카라사이트y held a strike to gain 바카라사이트 same sick pay, holiday pay and pensions as directly employed staff.

The three-day action, which began on January, has involved members of 바카라사이트 Independent Workers of Great Britain, a union not recognised by cleaning firm Cofely, which was previously known as Balfour Beatty Workplace.

The action follows a two-day strike in November, which led to an improved offer from Cofely, which it says was negotiated by Unison.

¡°We¡¯ve made great progress thus far, but our fight will continue until we win all our demands,¡± said Sonia Chura, vice-chair of 바카라사이트 University of London Branch of 바카라사이트 IWGB.

A University of London spokesman said its buildings had remained open and 바카라사이트 strike had had a ¡°minimum impact on operations¡±.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com