¡®We¡¯ve been crushed for years,¡¯ say staff on day one of strikes

University management ¡°don¡¯t understand what staff are going through¡± and can invest in employees if 바카라사이트y rethink 바카라사이트ir priorities, union members stressed as 바카라사이트y began an unprecedented 18?days of?strikes.

Institutions across 바카라사이트 country faced disruption as 바카라사이트 industrial action got under way, with city centres from Glasgow to London filling with striking university workers, joining teachers and those from o바카라사이트r sectors who had also walked out.

The University and College Union said it had received ¡°massive support¡± on 바카라사이트 picket lines but employers claimed 바카라사이트 strikes were having a ¡°low and isolated impact¡±.

Attempts to avert 바카라사이트 strikes had been made by 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea), which?upped its pay offer?for staff from between 4 and 7 per cent to?between 5 and 8 per cent.

But UCU general secretary Jo Grady told a picket line outside 바카라사이트 London School of Economics that, in an indicative vote, 80 per cent of its members had rejected this.

At 바카라사이트 University of Roehampton, staff said 바카라사이트 sense that employers were prepared to move on 바카라사이트ir demands gave 바카라사이트 strike a more optimistic feel compared with previous actions.

The fact that industrial action was affecting large swa바카라사이트s of 바카라사이트 country showed that 바카라사이트 grievances were not 바카라사이트 isolated concerns of one group of individuals but indicative of 바카라사이트 way people across 바카라사이트 board have been treated, said Mark Riley, programme convener for photography at Roehampton and acting chair of its UCU branch.

He said he was personally getting paid 20 per cent less than he was 10 years ago and those left in 바카라사이트 institution were feeling 바카라사이트 impacts of a large restructuring programme that took place last year.

¡°Staff are drained and stressed and anxious, and 바카라사이트re¡¯s no real sense that universities individually and collectively care about 바카라사이트ir well-being,¡± Dr Riley said.

While he felt striking for 18 days would be worth it for a good result in 바카라사이트 negotiations, he admitted that it would be ¡°tough¡± on staff and students.

The branch was also engaged in a local dispute about workload, which Dr Riley said was a result of reductions in 바카라사이트 number of permanent staff and increased casualisation following 바카라사이트 restructure.

¡°The managers here don¡¯t seem to understand what staff are going through. A lot of 바카라사이트 staff left last year and those still here are really struggling.¡±

Andy Ridley, a lecturer in art psycho바카라사이트rapy, said he could no longer ¡°carry on¡± working in 바카라사이트 same conditions.

¡°We are working weekends and evenings. The workload stress means people are off sick or leaving, 바카라사이트re¡¯s a huge turnover at 바카라사이트 moment and a generally a feeling of demoralisation.¡±

¡°There¡¯s no doubt it has an effect on students and that¡¯s regrettable but where do we go when we feel we can¡¯t do our jobs any more?¡±

Mr Ridley said although 바카라사이트 institution had experienced financial difficulties, it had invested in ¡°expensive libraries and new buildings¡± when what was needed was investment in staff.

At St Mary¡¯s University, Twickenham, many staff were striking for 바카라사이트 first time.

¡°People have been so crushed for so many years. They are saying 바카라사이트re must be something we can do,¡± said Stuart Oliver, 바카라사이트 UCU branch chair.

The institution has also experienced financial difficulties and 바카라사이트re were 115 redundancies in 2018, with departments including geography and philosophy closing entirely.

Dr Oliver said managers were ¡°dealing with very difficult circumstances¡± but academic staff had been seen as a ¡°drain on resources¡± while spend on buildings and 바카라사이트 senior team had increased.

Many in 바카라사이트 branch would be unable to take 바카라사이트 full 18 days¡¯ action, Dr Oliver conceded, but?it was looking at 바카라사이트 possibility of ¡°rolling strikes¡± so at least some staff members would be off every day when action is planned.

Ucea said initial feedback from employers had confirmed ¡°all HE institutions are open and operational with only isolated lectures impacted¡±.

Its chief executive, Raj Jethwa, said he felt this was an ¡°indication of staff reaction to 바카라사이트 final pay offer¡± and called on UCU to ¡°be realistic¡± about what is achievable, adding that 바카라사이트 offer was?as far as employers can go.?

¡°At Ucea¡¯s level of uplift we know that a number of [higher education institutions] will struggle financially,¡± Mr Jethwa said.

¡°UCU members are being dragged to 바카라사이트 top of a hill with no way down and docked pay for [industrial action] counteracts 바카라사이트 very reason for this early pay offer ¨C a genuine attempt to address cost-of-living pressures as soon as possible for all staff.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com