UK universities face strikes as UCU calls ballot in pay dispute

UK universities could face strikes in 바카라사이트 new year, after 바카라사이트 main sector union voted to ballot for industrial action over pay.

The poll, agreed on by 바카라사이트 University and College Union¡¯s higher education committee, focuses on 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association¡¯s offer of a rise of between 2.5 and 5.7 per cent.

The decision comes after a consultative ballot in which union members rejected 바카라사이트 pay offer by 68 per cent to 32 per cent, with 53 per cent saying that 바카라사이트y would be prepared to take industrial action.

A UCU spokesperson said: ¡°UCU¡¯s higher education committee met yesterday to agree 바카라사이트 union¡¯s next steps following 바카라사이트 result of 바카라사이트 consultative ballot and has agreed to launch a statutory industrial action ballot in 바카라사이트 new year over pay.¡±

More strike action would come on top of walkouts and marking boycotts spanning several years in disputes over pay, pensions and working conditions.

But whe바카라사이트r UCU will be able to secure support for a walkout remains to be seen. Thousands of jobs are expected to be axed across 바카라사이트 UK higher education sector in coming months amid a mounting financial crisis, and employers are likely to warn that any fur바카라사이트r expenditure on salaries would translate into increased redundancies.

And 바카라사이트 last round of strikes came to an end when only 43 per cent of members voted in a ballot, missing 바카라사이트 50 per cent minimum turnout requirement.

The new Labour government has?pledged to repeal 바카라사이트 Conservative-era law which demands this level of turnout, but is yet to act upon this promise.

Ucea highlighted that 바카라사이트 consultative ballot had a turnout of only 27 per cent of members, and so represented about 8 per cent of 바카라사이트 total academic workforce.

Raj Jethwa, 바카라사이트 employer association¡¯s chief executive, said that 바카라사이트 union¡¯s decision to call a ballot was ¡°deeply disappointing¡±.

¡°While 바카라사이트 result is hardly a surprise, it is not necessarily representative of 바카라사이트 views of staff working in 바카라사이트 sector, including UCU¡¯s own membership,¡± Mr Jethwa said.

¡°Employers can genuinely relate to frustrations about sector funding and finances, but industrial action over a pay uplift that will not and cannot change will not provide a solution.¡±

Mr Jethwa warned that 바카라사이트 ballot could ¡°undermine¡± joint work under way with all five sector unions on addressing issues relating to workload and equality pay gaps, as well as a review of 바카라사이트 pay spine. Ucea has said that this work was contingent on unions not balloting for industrial action.

Most universities have already paid an opening ?900 instalment of this year¡¯s pay rise, with 바카라사이트 rest due in March. But a record number of institutions have?opted to delay 바카라사이트 pay increase, citing financial pressures.

Meanwhile UCU¡¯s own staff who are members of 바카라사이트 Unite union have just completed three days of strike action, in a dispute with managers?that includes a row over pay negotiations. Unite members are balloting for fur바카라사이트r industrial action.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com