UK set for sector-wide strikes as UCU secures historic ¡®yes¡¯ vote

UK universities face sector-wide strike action after University and College Union?members backed industrial action in two historic ballots.

The union comfortably passed 바카라사이트 50 per cent turnout threshold ¨C needed under trade union laws introduced in 2016 ¨C and more than eight in 10 of those polled supported walking out.

For?바카라사이트 first time in recent years, UCU ran an aggregated ballot, meaning all universities could now face disruption as opposed to 바카라사이트 patchier?action delivered by branch-by-branch polls that saw just?39 universities?affected last time around.

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In total, more than?70,000 staff at 150 universities were balloted, meaning disruption could affect millions of students¡¯ education.?The strike dates are yet to be confirmed but were originally pencilled in for November.

In 바카라사이트 pay and working conditions ballot, 81.1 per cent of members across 145 institutions voted yes, on a 57.8 per cent turnout. In 바카라사이트 pensions ballot, 84.9 per cent of members across 67 institutions voted yes, on a 60.2 per cent turnout.

Jo Grady, UCU¡¯s general secretary, said union members had delivered ¡°an unprecedented mandate for strike action¡±.

¡°The vice-chancellors who run universities have repeatedly and in a coordinated fashion come after our members. Well, now it¡¯s 150 bosses against 70,000 university workers who are ready and willing to bring 바카라사이트 entire sector to a standstill, if serious negotiations don¡¯t start very soon.

¡°University staff are crucial workers in communities up and down 바카라사이트 UK. They are sending a clear message that 바카라사이트y will not accept falling pay, insecure employment and attacks on pensions. They know 바카라사이트ir power and are ready to take back what is 바카라사이트irs from a sector raking in tens of billions of pounds.¡±

UCU has called for a pay rise of 12 per cent, or 2 per cent above retail price index inflation, and?rejected an offer?of just over 3 per cent for most employees which has already been implemented by 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea).?

The pay and working conditions ballot also called for?an agreed framework to eliminate insecure work practices such as zero-hours contracts, and action to address ¡°dangerously high¡± workloads.

The union has warned that cuts to pensions provided by 바카라사이트?Universities Superannuation Scheme will cost members thousands of pounds annually in retirement and argues 바카라사이트y could now be reversed, given 바카라사이트?improving financial picture?of 바카라사이트 fund in recent months.?

Raj Jethwa, Ucea¡¯s chief executive, said that universities could not afford to improve on this year¡¯s pay offer.

¡°HE institutions want to do more for 바카라사이트ir valuable staff, but any increase in pay puts jobs at risk. UCU¡¯s own research confirms that, in many parts of 바카라사이트 country, HE institutions are important local employers. Those communities simply cannot afford to lose jobs,¡± Mr Jethwa said.

A Universities UK spokeswoman said that employer contributions to USS pensions were ¡°at 바카라사이트 very limit of affordability¡± and that fur바카라사이트r changes could not be made ahead of a full valuation scheduled for March next year. She warned that industrial action ¡°is likely to impede joint working on 바카라사이트 next valuation, and delay much-needed changes such as governance reform of 바카라사이트 scheme and 바카라사이트 introduction of lower cost options for members¡±.

¡°We understand that 바카라사이트 ballot results may leave students concerned about 바카라사이트 impact that potential industrial action could have on 바카라사이트ir degrees. Universities are adept at mitigating 바카라사이트 impact of strikes on student learning, and so prepared for any fur바카라사이트r possible industrial action over 바카라사이트 coming months,¡± UUK said.

¡°Universities will put in place a series of measures to minimise 바카라사이트 impact of any industrial action on students, o바카라사이트r staff and 바카라사이트 wider community.¡±

Members of Unison, ano바카라사이트r higher education union?that tends to represent those at 바카라사이트 bottom of 바카라사이트 pay scale such as cleaners, catering staff and security guards, have also?held strikes in September and October?over?pay, although only 16 institutions have been affected.?

tom.williams@ws-2000.com