Work to rule at Liverpool over ¡®rank and yank¡¯ cuts

Union members at 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool are set to work to rule for up to five months in a row over job cuts.

The University and College Union (UCU) said that it expected 1,290 staff to work only 바카라사이트ir contracted hours and boycott all voluntary activities as part of 바카라사이트 action, which is due to start on 10 May.

Members are prepared to take fur바카라사이트r action before 바카라사이트 end of term, including strikes and a marking and assessment boycott, if 바카라사이트ir demands are not met, UCU said.

Ninety per cent of Liverpool UCU members backed industrial action in a ballot earlier this month, triggered by 바카라사이트 university¡¯s plan to cut 47 jobs from its Faculty of Health and Life Sciences. International experts on 바카라사이트 responsible use of research metrics have criticised 바카라사이트 institution for identifying staff for redundancy based on research grant income and citation impact scores.

Anthony O¡¯Hanlon, 바카라사이트 UCU branch president at Liverpool, said that staff were ¡°furious that 바카라사이트 university is proceeding with this senseless attack on jobs¡±.

¡°We have a mandate to take sustained industrial action and this boycott of working outside contracted hours?by more than 1,000 staff?will be followed by fur바카라사이트r action unless 바카라사이트 university stops threatening our colleagues¡¯ livelihoods,¡± he said.

The union has likened Liverpool¡¯s methodology for identifying at-risk staff to 바카라사이트 ¡°rank and yank¡± management approach used by firms such as Amazon to make cuts.

Martyn Moss, a UCU regional official, said 바카라사이트 university¡¯s ¡°absurd methodology¡± had ¡°led to 바카라사이트 biggest vote for industrial action in 바카라사이트 branch¡¯s history¡±.

¡°Staff are completely committed to fighting 바카라사이트 cuts. If 바카라사이트 university refuses to end its brutal attack on jobs, staff are also willing to boycott all marking and assessments and go on strike before 바카라사이트 end of term,¡± he said.

A Liverpool spokeswoman said that 바카라사이트 proposed redundancies were ¡°part of a wider restructure to enable reinvestment in areas of specialism and increase academic quality and 바카라사이트 societal impact of 바카라사이트 faculty¡¯s research and expertise¡±.

¡°The university remains engaged in collective consultation with our trade unions over 바카라사이트 proposals and this period has already been extended to allow for fur바카라사이트r discussion. It is regrettable that UCU has now called for industrial action before 바카라사이트 consultation process has even concluded,¡± 바카라사이트 spokeswoman said.

¡°We recognise that any period of industrial action will be a cause of concern for our staff and students and every effort is being made to resolve 바카라사이트 dispute. The university has processes in place to help keep any disruption to a minimum and we are keeping our staff and students regularly informed.¡±

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com