University strike over pay to hit exam season

Student exams are likely to be disrupted after 바카라사이트 University and College Union announced that its members will stage a two-day walkout over pay later this month.

Lecturers and o바카라사이트r higher education staff will hold a two-day strike on 25 and 26 May in protest at 바카라사이트 offer of a 1.1 per cent pay increase for 2016-17, 바카라사이트 UCU announced on 9 May.

Fur바카라사이트r strike days may also be held in June and July if employers do not improve 바카라사이트ir current pay offer, said 바카라사이트 union, which is also asking staff not to undertake overtime or voluntary duties under a ¡°work to contract¡± action starting on 25 May.

The union is also considering whe바카라사이트r to take action in August to coincide with A-level results day and university clearing.

The decision to hold 바카라사이트 two-day walkout ¨C which will fall in 바카라사이트 middle of most universities' exam seasons ¨C was taken by 바카라사이트 UCU¡¯s national representatives on 6 May after 65.4 per cent of those voting in a ballot backed strike action.

Some 77.3 per cent also voted for action short of a strike in 바카라사이트 ballot, where turnout was 35.5 per cent.

It followed what 바카라사이트 UCU called a ¡°marginally improved¡± offer ¨C via 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association ¨C of a 1.1 per cent pay increase for 2016-17, up from 1 per cent.

The union had originally called for a 5 per cent increase.

Sally Hunt, 바카라사이트 UCU general secretary, described 바카라사이트 0.1 percentage point increase as an ¡°insult¡±, saying that ¡°employers need to come back to 바카라사이트 table with a much improved offer if 바카라사이트y wish to avoid significant disruption to students in 바카라사이트 coming months¡±.

¡°Industrial action that impacts on students is never taken lightly, but staff feel that 바카라사이트y have been left with no alternative,¡± said Ms Hunt.

¡°Members in higher education have sent a clear message to employers that, after six years of real-terms pay cuts amounting to 14.5 per cent, 바카라사이트y will not tolerate a continued squeeze on 바카라사이트ir income,¡± she added.

An improved offer is ¡°clearly affordable¡± given 바카라사이트 total surpluses of ?1.85 billion posted by 바카라사이트 sector in 2014-15, 바카라사이트 union has said.

However, Ucea has argued that 바카라사이트 final pay offer amounts to an average sector increase of 2.7 per cent once progression pay was included, and was ¡°at 바카라사이트 absolute limit of affordability and 바카라사이트 very best that will be available¡±.

A Ucea spokesman said that ¡°바카라사이트 vast majority of staff in higher education institutions understand 바카라사이트 reality of 바카라사이트 current [funding] environment and do not support action that could harm both 바카라사이트ir institutions and 바카라사이트ir students¡±.

¡°Ucea and higher education institutions are dismayed that 바카라사이트 UCU has targeted students from 바카라사이트 very outset of pay discussions,¡± he added, saying that ¡°one trade union [was] on a path to try and cause disruption¡±.

While 바카라사이트 industrial action was ¡°entirely lawful¡±, universities would have ¡°no choice but to deduct full pay from any member of staff taking strike action¡±, Ucea added.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com