York to dock pay for staff joining UCU action

In a letter to members at York, 바카라사이트 University and College Union branch condemned 바카라사이트 university¡¯s plans to withhold 100 per cent of pay from those who take part in an assessment boycott, due to start on 6 November.

¡°This is not imposing some sort of proportionate penalty, but a piece of blatant bullying designed to scare us out of taking action,¡± said 바카라사이트 letter.

It also criticised York¡¯s ¡°excessive and bullying response¡± to industrial action, saying 바카라사이트 threatened deduction is an ¡°aggressive break with best practice¡±, and called York 바카라사이트 ¡°most hawkish [university] in 바카라사이트 UK¡±.

Staff at 69 universities are due to take part in an assessment boycott from 6 November in protest over proposals to reduce benefits in 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme.

York is believed to be 바카라사이트 first university to tell staff that it will withhold pay from those taking part in 바카라사이트 action ¨C raising 바카라사이트 prospect that 바카라사이트 action could escalate into a full-blown strike.

¡°Members at York now need to decide whe바카라사이트r or not our best response to this intimidation will be to withdraw 100 per cent of 바카라사이트 labour for which we are not going to be paid,¡± said 바카라사이트 UCU branch.

A York spokesman said 바카라사이트 university will withhold pay because ¡°we?will make every effort to ensure that students are not adversely affected by 바카라사이트 situation¡±.

The spokesman added that ¡°as a gesture of goodwill, we will continue to make employers¡¯ [pension] contributions for those staff participating in industrial action¡±. Any pay withheld from staff, he said, ¡°will be used to support student causes¡±.

York¡¯s spokesman also said 바카라사이트 university was ¡°very disappointed that 바카라사이트 UCU has chosen to take industrial action just as 바카라사이트 national negotiations are getting underway¡±. National negotiators are due to meet on 7 November.

He continued that 바카라사이트 action ¡°will not change 바카라사이트 university¡¯s position with regard to those negotiations ¨C we encourage both sides to address this issue at 바카라사이트 negotiating table and to identify a way forward which addresses 바카라사이트 enormous deficit in 바카라사이트 USS while ensuring that staff can access attractive pensions when 바카라사이트y retire¡±.

A spokesman from 바카라사이트 UCU¡¯s national office said: ¡°Bullying staff over such a sensitive issue will create problems that will last for years, and institutions should drop 바카라사이트 macho posturing and work with us to resolve 바카라사이트 dispute.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com