Lecturers and other staff at 140 universities across the UK have ended the marking and assessment boycott but will strike for five days – during freshers’ week – in the continuing dispute over pay and working conditions.
At 136 of the 140 universities, members of the University and College Union will strike for five consecutive days from Monday 25 to Friday 29 September.
The Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) has imposed a pay award for 2023-24 worth 5% for most UCU members, who overwhelmingly voted to reject it. UCU is also demanding action on gig-economy employment practices and high workloads.
But the UCU has now withdrawn its marking and assessment boycott, which began on 20 April, after 60% of its members voted to suspend it. It will also soon begin reballoting its members at all universities to allow the union to take further action this year and into 2024.
Staff are continuing other forms of industrial action, including working to rule, not undertaking any voluntary activities, and not rescheduling lectures or classes cancelled due to strike action.
UCU’s analysis of universities shows the sector generated more money than ever last year while the proportion going to staff fell to a record low. It has agreed to a joint review of sector finances alongside UCEA.
Walkouts at four Scottish universities will be on slightly different dates to coincide with local action by other unions.
UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “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.”
Raj Jethwa, UCEA chief executive said: “UCEA welcomes the vote by UCU members to end the marking and assessment boycott. The result, with 60% voting to stop the boycott, suggests that UCU members no longer wish to support the [higher education committee’s] tactic of inflicting harm on students. 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.”
He added that the employers’ body welcomes UCU’s acceptance of the 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 other unions.
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