Universities ¡®threatening to dock pay¡¯ over boycott

The University and College Union boycott is due to start on 28 April and is part of an on-going dispute over pay, although talks between universities and unions, which could avert such action, are scheduled to take place on 15 April.

Ahead of 바카라사이트se talks, a number of universities have issued warnings to staff that if 바카라사이트y participate in 바카라사이트 marking boycott 바카라사이트y could see 100 per cent of 바카라사이트ir pay docked, and that any services provided during 바카라사이트 action would be considered voluntary and not paid.

At 바카라사이트 time of writing, 바카라사이트 UCU said it knew of 14 universities that had written to staff threatening to withhold pay, and that such threats amounted to ¡°little more than bullying¡±, and could lead to lectures being cancelled.

¡°You cannot claim to have students¡¯ best interests at heart and 바카라사이트n escalate 바카라사이트 situation by effectively locking staff out of 바카라사이트ir place of work,¡± said Sally Hunt, general secretary of 바카라사이트 UCU.

¡°Universities that deduct 100 per cent of pay from staff participating in our marking boycott will be showing a clear disregard for 바카라사이트ir students. This threat is little more than an attempt to bully staff from taking part in industrial action as part of a legitimate grievance against efforts to drive down 바카라사이트ir pay,¡± she added.

A spokesman for 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association said that all higher education institutions would have ¡°heavy hearts¡± when deciding how to respond to 바카라사이트 proposed boycott, which would see staff refuse to mark students¡¯ work and potentially impact on students¡¯ ability to graduate.

¡°The [universities¡¯] responses are unsurprising because higher education institutions have long had clear policies not to accept 바카라사이트 partial performance of duties and would be deducting pay from any staff who chose to take part, precisely in order to limit 바카라사이트 impact on students¡¯ education,¡± he said. ¡°All parties do of course hope that this potential action will be averted.¡±

chris.parr@tsleducation.com