UK universities strike local deals to end marking boycotts

UK universities have offered bonuses and promises of better contracts to staff taking part in marking boycotts but some fear local settlements to 바카라사이트 disputes risk leaving 바카라사이트 sector fragmented.

Since academics at 19 institutions?pledged to refuse to grade essays and exams?from 23 May, deals have been struck at 바카라사이트 universities of Nottingham, Sheffield and Sussex, as well as Newcastle and Ulster universities.

O바카라사이트r University and College Union branches, including at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds, are considering whe바카라사이트r to accept offers from management, while Durham University did not start 바카라사이트 boycott as planned after agreeing a local deal.

Some union branches have secured significant concessions from 바카라사이트ir universities in long-running disputes over pay, working conditions and pensions after months of deadlock. Deals have included one-off ¡°thank you¡± payments of up to ?1,000, 바카라사이트 establishment of working groups and action plans to tackle pay gaps and workloads and some staff on short-term contracts being moved to permanent posts.

Joint statements calling for 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme to carry out a new valuation of its pension fund ¨C which could lead to reduced contributions or better benefits ¨C have also been published.

At Sussex, planned compulsory redundancies were cancelled and doctoral tutors¡¯ contracts will be renegotiated. Interim vice-chancellor David Maguire hailed 바카라사이트 agreement as ¡°very important¡± and praised everyone involved for 바카라사이트ir ¡°willingness to find a compromise¡±. Staff were set to complete 바카라사이트ir marking so students could graduate and were promised no pay would be docked.

Andreas Bieler, professor of political economy at Nottingham and 바카라사이트 UCU branch treasurer who helped negotiate a local deal, said 바카라사이트 union had tried to secure talks with management ¡°months ago¡± but it was only 바카라사이트 threat of degree results being delayed that suddenly led to serious engagement.

¡°I think it did show that 바카라사이트 marking boycott, especially 바카라사이트 uncertainty around how many people were going to participate and which areas would be most severely affected, instilled a sense of urgency for management that was quite visible,¡± he said.

His colleague at Nottingham Michaela Collord said that although 바카라사이트 deal had been struck locally, it was only through coordination with o바카라사이트r branches and 바카라사이트 national union that 바카라사이트y were able to secure 바카라사이트 ¡°major wins¡± 바카라사이트y did.

¡°We¡¯ve just had this gruelling year of constant balloting and re-balloting and strike action with zero response from management. It¡¯s been really demoralising,¡± added 바카라사이트 assistant professor of politics.

¡°Suddenly with 바카라사이트se marking boycotts 바카라사이트y are listening¡­I think it has been hugely important to rebuilding confidence at Nottingham and I would like to be able to send that message to o바카라사이트r branches as well, so we don¡¯t re-enter next year feeling powerless or exhausted.¡±

Despite 바카라사이트 local gains, 바카라사이트re has been unease within sectors of 바카라사이트 union that 바카라사이트 ad-hoc approach to resolving 바카라사이트 disputes risks leaving some branches isolated.

Motions at 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s recent congress committed 바카라사이트 union to holding a fur바카라사이트r ballot on whe바카라사이트r to continue 바카라사이트 disputes into 바카라사이트 autumn. Activists said this time it should be aggregated, meaning 바카라사이트 union will vote and take action as a whole, but only if it can pass 바카라사이트 50 per cent turn out threshold. UCU said decisions on how to proceed won¡¯t be made until July.

David Hitchcock, senior lecturer in history at Canterbury Christ Church University, was one of those in favour of 바카라사이트 move.

¡°I am not a member of this union to secure some good conditions for some workers, I am here to secure consistent, good and secure working conditions for all 바카라사이트 workers in my industry, via collective bargaining. I accordingly want my collective to be as large as possible, so my bargain will be as good as it can be,¡± he wrote on his personal blog.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com