LECTURERS who are members of UCU at Liverpool Hope University have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action in their ongoing row with the institution over job losses and how the institution is responding to potential cuts in funding.
Over four-fifths (83%) of UCU members at Liverpool Hope who voted, voted for strike action. The union is now considering its next options, including strike dates which could be announced shortly unless the university rethinks its approach to its hasty restructuring plans.
Over 100 jobs are at risk and the union says the university should follow the lead of the vast majority of institutions in the country, and take a measured approach to future challenges. UCU says the university is rushing in to decisions based on funding assumptions that have been made without the full knowledge of future circumstances.
The union says that, instead of pushing ahead with plans to axe jobs, the university should listen to, and work with, its staff. UCU members in departments at the university have been drawing up alternative plans to deal with the difficulties the higher education sector and Liverpool Hope face.
UCU regional official, Martyn Moss, said: ‘UCU members at Liverpool Hope have made it crystal clear today that they have no faith in how the university is handling the funding problems that have beset the higher education sector.
‘They do not think the university should be swinging the axe and chopping jobs and will be out on strike to make that point and defend their jobs if the university refuses to listen to them.’
UCU members at Liverpool University and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine will be on strike on Tuesday 22 and Thursday 24 March in a row about pensions.
Also, lecturers at Barnet College face a fight to save their jobs after the college announced plans to slash the number of teaching staff by 20%.
The University and College Union (UCU), which represents academic staff at the college, says the 20% cut is disproportionate to the college’s overall aim of making savings of 10%.
The union warned the cuts would have a devastating effect on some of the most disadvantaged groups in the local community.
Classes of English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) are chief amongst those at risk; although all departments face cuts.
The college has refused to rule out compulsory redundancies and the union said the current voluntary redundancy offer will not attract sufficient volunteers. UCU warned that the job losses would mean a sharp increase in the workload for the staff who remain in post and would result in larger classes and the closure of important outreach courses.
UCU branch secretary at Barnet College, David Armstrong, said: ‘We are not blind to the troubles facing the further education sector and realise that there will have to be difficult decisions made.
‘We will certainly continue to work closely with senior management with a view to finding an equitable outcome that, most importantly, also guarantees educational quality for our learners.
‘In the meantime we intend to campaign vigorously and publicly against these cuts.’
UCU branch chair at Barnet College, Noel Murphy, said: ‘Our members are angry and are determined to fight these disproportionate and unjust job cuts.
‘We cannot see how the cuts can be reconciled with the college’s policy to maintain the breadth and excellence of teaching and learning and improve success rates in a merger with Southgate College.
‘Increased workloads would do the exact opposite. We do not accept the argument that other costs are non-reducible and take priority over teaching.’
l The UCU said yesterday that strikes over pensions looked more likely after the Employers Pension Forum (EPF), who are tasked with negotiating on behalf of the universities, rejected talks with the union.
UCU had asked EPF to join it for talks through the arbitration service, ACAS, to try and resolve the dispute over changes to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) pension fund.
However, EPF has replied refusing talks. Yesterday NUS president, Aaron Porter, also asking them to join UCU for talks and avoid strike action.
Well over a million students (1,241,655*) at 63 UK universities will be hit with the first national strike action in universities for five years later this month unless the dispute can be resolved.
Strikes are planned in Scotland on Thursday 17 March, in Wales on Friday 18 March, in Northern Ireland on Monday 21 March and in England on Tuesday 22 March.
There will then be a second day of strike action across the UK on Thursday 24 March.
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: ‘The last thing our universities need is widespread disruption and strike action always remains a last resort.
‘However, the employers must recognise the strength of feeling over pensions. Students clearly do and the NUS has written to both sides urging us to get round the table and sort this out.
‘Our diaries are clear and our message to the employers is simply: sit down with us and sort this mess out.
‘Decent pensions are essential if the UK has any interest in retaining its best and brightest; they are not an optional extra.
‘UCU members are prepared to take their first national strike action for five years because they see their pensions as deferred pay.
‘Their pensions compensate for the lower salaries they receive carrying out research and teaching in universities than they would get if they chose to use their highly-specialised knowledge and skills elsewhere.’
Last week UCU members of the USS scheme at those 63 universities voted for strike action and action short of a strike.
Taken overall, two-thirds (64.55%) of UCU members who voted, voted for strike action and over four-fifths (82.19%) voted for action short of a strike.
Members at institutions that voted for action will be asked to strike against the detrimental proposals from university employers to reduce pension benefits and increase costs even though USS is in robust health.
Sixty-three universities are to be hit with strike action this month as UCU announces strike dates for immediate release.