Contemporary strikes by college employees introduced in lengthy operating pay dispute
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taff at 140 universities throughout the UK are to strike for 5 days later this month within the long-running dispute over pay and dealing situations.
The University and College Union (UCU) mentioned its members at 136 universities will stroll out for 5 consecutive days from September 25, whereas strikes will hit 4 Scottish universities on barely totally different dates to coincide with native motion by different unions.
The union additionally introduced it had withdrawn its marking and evaluation boycott which began in April.
The UCU mentioned it can start reballoting its members at universities over industrial motion, warning it will permit it to escalate the dispute by taking additional motion this yr and into 2024.
Staff are persevering with different types of industrial motion, together with working to rule, not enterprise any voluntary actions, and never rescheduling lectures or courses cancelled as a result of strike motion.
We are left with no possibility however to strike through the begin of time period as a result of our members refuse to face by whereas pay is eroded and employees are shunted onto gig-economy contracts
The union mentioned an imposed pay rise for this yr was price 5% for many of its members.
UCU basic secretary Jo Grady mentioned: “We are left with no option but to strike during the start of term because our members refuse to stand by while pay is eroded and staff are shunted onto gig-economy contracts.
“It is shameful that vice-chancellors still refuse to settle the dispute despite a year of unprecedented disruption, and have instead imposed a pay award that staff overwhelmingly rejected.
“Universities are richer than ever, generating tens of billions of pounds in income and hoarding billions more in cash deposits, but they won’t give staff their fair share.
“A pay award of 5% is a huge real-terms pay cut and is substantially lower than school teachers received.
“We have sought to settle this dispute at every opportunity, including agreeing to a joint review of sector finances, but we are faced with employers that want to see staff and students suffer.
“We desperately hope vice-chancellors realise we are going nowhere without a fair settlement and make us a realistic offer. If they do not, campuses will be marred by picket lines during freshers’ week, and we will launch a new strike ballot allowing us to take action well into 2024.”
The union is in search of an above inflation pay rise, saying that pay has fallen inn actual phrases by quarter since 2009.
In response to UCU’s announcement to finish the marking and evaluation boycott Raj Jethwa, chief government of the Universities and Colleges Employers Association, mentioned: “UCEA welcomes the vote by UCU members to end the marking and assessment boycott.
“There is now an urgency for UCU members who had participated in the boycott to prioritise marking for those remaining students who have still not received the necessary results to graduate in 2023-24.
“It is, therefore, disappointing that, at the same time as ending the boycott, UCU is attempting to inflict maximum damage before its mandate expires, by calling strike action for late September.
“UCU is intentionally seeking to target the important welcome weeks which many institutions provide during this vital time for new students. It is disappointing that UCU seeks to disrupt welcome weeks instead of providing support for new students.
“UCU must now seriously reconsider this response from their members as their HEC (executive) tries to launch another ballot for industrial action for the new academic year.
“Nevertheless, UCEA welcomes UCU’s acceptance of our proposals for independently-facilitated talks on a review of sector finances and further talks on the important pay-related matters raised by the UCU and the other unions.”