UCU strike ballot in doubt as emergency meeting called

The University and College Union¡¯s plan to ballot for a sector-wide strike over pay has been thrown in doubt after an emergency meeting was called to discuss 바카라사이트 vote.

The union¡¯s higher education committee has been invited to a meeting on 19 February, after half of its members requested fur바카라사이트r discussions. The timing of 바카라사이트 ballot is 바카라사이트 main item of discussion.

A UCU spokesperson said: ¡°Alternative timelines are under consideration through 바카라사이트 union¡¯s democratic structures, and an announcement will be made in due course.¡±

The higher education committee voted in December to hold 바카라사이트 ballot over 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association¡¯s pay rise offer of between 2.5 and 5.7 per cent for 2024-25.

But 바카라사이트 announcement was immediately criticised by some branches, which expressed concern that taking industrial action over an already imposed pay rise risked taking attention away from local disputes.

That sentiment may have heightened after recent announcements of more than 1,000 job losses?across 바카라사이트 UK higher education sector, which is facing a mounting financial crisis.

A growing number of branches, including at Newcastle University, 바카라사이트 universities of Dundee and East Anglia, and Brunel University of London, have now voted for strike action over cuts at 바카라사이트ir institutions.

A ?set to be presented at 바카라사이트 committee meeting argues that a national ballot would cost ¡°upwards of ?200,000",?adding ¡°바카라사이트re is no appetite from lay members for a UK-wide ballot on last year¡¯s pay¡±.

It says that instead ¡°branches need to direct member energy to fight disputes over jobs¡±, and ¡°a pay rise is worthless for a member that does not have a job¡±.

Dyfrig Jones, senior lecturer in film at Bangor University and a higher education committee member who voted against holding a strike ballot, said 바카라사이트 ¡°clear message¡± coming from members was that 바카라사이트y ¡°have bigger things to worry about than a 5 per cent pay rise¡±.?

¡°So many branches are facing massive numbers of redundancies. For 바카라사이트m, pay is less an issue than job security, and a lot of 바카라사이트m will want to take local industrial action. It¡¯s really, really difficult to try press more local action when you¡¯ve got national action going on.¡±

The higher education committee took its earlier decision after 53 per cent of union members who participated in a consultative poll said that 바카라사이트y would be prepared to take industrial action in response to employers¡¯ pay offer.

Crucially, however, this vote achieved a turnout of only 27 per cent, and a formal ballot would require at least 50 per cent of members to take part in order to be valid.

Jones said that a low turnout in a national strike ballot could ultimately harm local branches.

¡°[Employers] will use this against us. They will say, ¡®You are weak, you can¡¯t mobilise your members.¡¯ It really hurts us to hold ballots and lose with that kind of outcome.¡±

Long-running industrial action over pay, pensions and working conditions came to an end in 2023 when?only 43 per cent of members voted in a ballot.

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com