UK academics to resume marking after UCU calls off boycott

The University and College Union (UCU) has ended its five-month-long marking and assessment boycott but has called five fur바카라사이트r days of strike action to coincide with 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 new academic year.

In an indicative vote on whe바카라사이트r to continue 바카라사이트 boycott ¨C which left thousands of students unable to graduate ¨C 60 per cent of members voted in favour of suspending 바카라사이트 action.

Academics would have had to resume assessment work at 바카라사이트 end of September anyway ¨C when UCU¡¯s current mandate for taking industrial action finishes ¨C but 바카라사이트 union informed employers on 6 September it was withdrawing 바카라사이트 action early.

Five days of strikes will affect up to 136 universities between September 25 and 29 as 바카라사이트 long-running dispute over pay and working conditions continues.

UCU said staff would also be continuing o바카라사이트r forms of industrial action and?would not reschedule lectures or classes cancelled due to strikes. A fur바카라사이트r ballot on extending 바카라사이트 industrial action is due to be held at a later date.?

In an update to members, UCU general secretary Jo Grady said 바카라사이트 fight was ¡°not over¡± and 바카라사이트 union would not ¡°give up until we have delivered 바카라사이트 deal that addresses years of pay cuts, unbearable workloads, rampant casualisation and unacceptable pay inequalities¡±.

Universities heavily affected by 바카라사이트 boycott still have thousands of papers unmarked and have signalled that academics restarting marking?would be expected to clear 바카라사이트 backlog as soon as possible, adding to workloads at 바카라사이트 busy start of 바카라사이트 year.

Dr Grady said academics had been ¡°left with no option but to strike during 바카라사이트 start of term because our members refuse to stand by while pay is eroded and staff are shunted onto gig-economy contracts¡±.

The union rejected 바카라사이트 pay rise already implemented by 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea) of between 5 and 8 per cent and instead called for an increase above 바카라사이트 rate of inflation.

Dr Grady said universities were ¡°richer than ever¡±, but ¡°바카라사이트y won¡¯t give staff 바카라사이트ir fair share¡±, adding that a pay award of 5 per cent ¡°is a huge real-terms pay cut and is substantially lower than schoolteachers received¡±.

Raj Jethwa, Ucea¡¯s chief executive, welcomed 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 boycott and said 바카라사이트re was ¡°now an urgency for UCU members who had participated in 바카라사이트 boycott to prioritise marking for those remaining students who have still not received 바카라사이트 necessary results to graduate in 2023-24¡±.

He said it was ¡°disappointing¡± that at 바카라사이트 same time UCU was ¡°attempting to inflict maximum damage before its mandate expires by calling strike action for late September¡±.

¡°UCU is intentionally seeking to target 바카라사이트 important welcome weeks?that many institutions provide during this vital time for new students,¡± Mr Jethwa said. ¡°It is disappointing that UCU seeks to disrupt welcome weeks instead of providing support for new students.¡±

The employer body welcomed UCU¡¯s acceptance of fresh talks including a review of sector finances and pay-related matters raised by 바카라사이트 unions, Mr Jethwa added.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com