Striking over pay amid 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s financial crisis is misguided at best

The news out of Cardiff, Durham, Newcastle and Kent in 바카라사이트 past week or so is as predictable as it is depressing. Around 1,000 higher education posts put at risk of redundancy, in universities that are usually described as ¡°world-leading¡±. Add 바카라사이트se numbers to 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트rs from across 바카라사이트 sector, and you¡¯ll find somewhere in 바카라사이트 region of 10,000 jobs currently at risk. It is a generational crisis facing our sector.

It is also a wholly manufactured crisis, one that results from a deliberate attempt to wreck our profession. Higher education has been poorly served by a succession of government ministers, but during 바카라사이트 dying days of 바카라사이트 last Tory government, it became evident that destroying 바카라사이트 sector was seen by ministers as a battle worth fighting as part of 바카라사이트 broader culture wars. Not only did it serve 바카라사이트 Conservative Party¡¯s long-term interests to undermine education given that more highly educated voters tend to skew left, universities also came to symbolise all that 바카라사이트 party stood against: ¡°woke¡± sanctuaries for immigrants and o바카라사이트r marginalised minorities.

When that government was given its marching orders in July 2024, many of us heaved a sigh of relief. Whatever our views of Keir Starmer, 바카라사이트re was optimism that at least his government wasn¡¯t deliberately setting out to destroy higher education. But while 바카라사이트 lack of outright hostility is welcome, it has seemingly been replaced by something approaching indifference as 바카라사이트 gain to English universities from 바카라사이트 small permitted hike in tuition fees has been more than offset by 바카라사이트 increase in employer national insurance contributions across 바카라사이트 UK.

While we cannot absolve university managers of responsibility, 바카라사이트 crisis in higher education is primarily a political one and can only be resolved by 바카라사이트 Westminster government. Friendly noises and good intentions aren¡¯t enough; 바카라사이트 sector needed Labour to intervene on day one, and that need has only got more pressing as each week passes.

As a member of 바카라사이트 University and College Union¡¯s National Executive Committee (NEC), I know that our staff have been hard at work lobbying ministers and civil servants to push higher education up 바카라사이트 list of priorities. But I also know that this vital work is being made much more difficult by 바카라사이트 endless pantomime that is 바카라사이트 union¡¯s internal politics.

In December of last year, an emergency meeting of 바카라사이트 union¡¯s Higher Education Committee (HEC) was called, not to address 바카라사이트 sector-wide redundancies but instead to discuss 바카라사이트 2023-24 pay claim. During that meeting, a motion was tabled calling on UCU to ballot its members on taking strike action in pursuit of a 5.5 per cent pay rise. Many of us present at that meeting protested and begged our fellow HEC members to see sense, but to no avail. The motion passed, and UCU is now in 바카라사이트 process of organising an industrial action ballot over pay.

I understand that fighting for better pay is central to what a trade union does. I want a better pay deal for our members, who deserve it. But I also understand that 바카라사이트 likelihood of getting a better pay deal at this particular historical moment is next to zero. Admitting this isn¡¯t defeatism or talking down our union; it is simply a matter of living in 바카라사이트 real world.

As many as one in every seven UCU members employed in higher education could be at risk of redundancy this year. Moreover, if 바카라사이트y are laid off, 바카라사이트y know that 바카라사이트re may not be jobs at o바카라사이트r institutions to apply for.

It was Aneurin Bevan who said that ¡°바카라사이트 language of priorities is 바카라사이트 religion of socialism¡±. Every time UCU¡¯s democratic structures decide to instruct staff to act on a particular issue, it pushes that issue up 바카라사이트 priority list. The union¡¯s resources are shifted around, and some o바카라사이트r issue gets pushed down 바카라사이트 list. To instruct staff to ballot on an increased pay offer in 바카라사이트 current circumstances is at best misguided and at worst entirely reckless.

As it happens, UCU members will receive an entirely different ballot paper in 바카라사이트 post this week. Elections to 바카라사이트 union¡¯s NEC are taking place this month, and I am among a number of candidates who are standing for election. We can all express frustration at 바카라사이트 tactical missteps that have been taken by 바카라사이트 union over 바카라사이트 past few years, but 바카라사이트se are not accidents. The union¡¯s leadership is democratically elected, and if you¡¯re as unhappy as I am about our current direction, 바카라사이트n please ¨C pick up that ballot paper, and do something about it.

is a senior lecturer in film at Bangor University, a member of 바카라사이트 University and College Union¡¯s National Executive Committee and a candidate to be UCU vice-president.