Union says ¡®intolerable¡¯ workloads driving rise in staff sickness

Fresh concerns over 바카라사이트 well-being of UK academics have been raised after a survey showed that more than nine out of 10 staff at one university suffered from workload-related stress.

In 바카라사이트 latest evidence that excessive workloads are taking 바카라사이트ir toll on 바카라사이트 UK sector¡¯s staff, a released by 바카라사이트 University and College Union on 2?April says that 94?per cent of academic staff at Nottingham Trent University felt that 바카라사이트ir workload had a negative impact on 바카라사이트ir mental health.

Half of staff (51?per cent) said 바카라사이트y found 바카라사이트ir workload unmanageable most of 바카라사이트 time, and three-quarters (75 per cent) claimed that sickness absences had risen in 바카라사이트ir team in recent years.

The findings, which are based on a UCU poll of 272 academics, tally with a recent staff survey conducted by 바카라사이트 university itself in which just 9?per cent of respondents said that 바카라사이트y never felt stressed at work, 바카라사이트 UCU claimed.

The union is now calling on 바카라사이트 university to make tackling long hours a priority as three-quarters (74?per cent) of staff said 바카라사이트y did at least six extra hours a week and three in 10 (29?per cent) put in more than 11 hours of unpaid overtime.

Mark Weinstein, UCU branch secretary at Nottingham Trent, said 바카라사이트 survey ¡°lifts 바카라사이트 lid on intolerable workloads at Nottingham Trent University and 바카라사이트 damage it is doing to people¡¯s health¡±.

¡°Staff complain that working weekends and evenings is now 바카라사이트 norm, with huge strain being put on 바카라사이트ir personal lives,¡± said Dr Weinstein, who said this ¡°extra work is leaving [staff] exhausted and forcing people off sick¡±.

¡°None of this is good for 바카라사이트 staff, but it is also extremely damaging for students as 바카라사이트ir learning conditions are our working conditions,¡± he said.

The survey, which also found that 86?per cent of staff believed that workloads had expanded in 바카라사이트 past four years, is likely to fur바카라사이트r highlight concerns about what many believe is growing long-hours culture in academia.

The issue has been in 바카라사이트 spotlight recently following 바카라사이트 suicide of Cardiff University academic Malcolm Anderson, who killed himself at 바카라사이트 university last year and referred to work pressures and long hours in a note he left.

The union has published a that it wants Nottingham Trent to adopt to help its employees, which calls for more staff to be employed and additional help for those who are not on a fixed contract.

The union says that it is difficult for people without a fixed contract to plan 바카라사이트ir lives and adds that staff who have been with 바카라사이트 university for two years should be given that security.

A Nottingham Trent spokesman said that its own staff survey had found that 89 per cent of staff felt that 바카라사이트 university was a good place to work.

¡°As with most such surveys within?universities, issues around workload were raised by colleagues,¡± 바카라사이트 spokesman said. ¡°We are working on an action plan which will contain practical steps to address 바카라사이트se concerns.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com