We entered into this place called ‘Four Fights’ over two years ago, because things were #broken. We’ve given a lot since but where are we now?
UCU members at UAL recently voted (again) for strike action and Action Short of Strike (ASOS), as a last resort after years of pay cuts and the failure of Senior Management to take meaningful action on casualisation, pay discrimination, or workloads.
At UAL we voted 69.3 % in favour of strike action and 86.3% in favour of Action Short of a Strike (ASOS).
The ASOS included a possible Marking Boycott, which is what was decided at national level as the most effective form of action to try and progress our demands with UCEA, the university employers association.
There are fewer branches alongside us than in 2020 and some pulled out last week, for several reasons, but essentially either because the boycott came too late for their marking (we don’t get to decide that locally) or because, with their management, they negotiated a local ‘deal’. That sounds good for them but it threatens the solidarity of a national movement.
Boycotts are hard. And the initial UAL senior management response has been to threaten 100% pay deductions for those participating.
However with some will from our Senior Management there is a clear way forward.
- The fact that at UAL we are now ‘in’ this boycott is in itself a powerful message. You may feel you didn’t ‘vote’ for it, but it’s giving us power to call on our Management to raise their game.
- Strikes are ‘easy’ by comparison but they’re also very easy for institutions to ‘ride out’. So so far UCEA (the employers’ group) has simply ridden out our actions. So it’s time to use another tack.
We’re working on a solution which could be quick, if we are strong at the start…
- We ‘the boycotting’ branches have worked together to make resolution possible. We’ve produced a statement for our VCs to agree to send to UCEA. UCU-UAL have joined with colleagues from Sheffield, Leeds, Newcastle, Herriot Watt, Nottingham to produce a template ‘joint statement’ that we can present to our SMT as a negotiating position, this week.
Update:The above ‘joint statement’ was written, agreed by members at joint UCU-UAL meeting on 26.5.22 and sent to the VC and HR senior management on 27.5.22. You can read it here: https://www.ucu-ual.com/draft-joint-statement-to-ucea-from-ucu-ual-and-ual-smt-regarding-four-fights-dispute/
With some serious commitment from our Senior Management we can work out a way forward that would end this action.
- The boycott could end very soon – if our VC and SMT really engage. For that to happen, we need to have a strong position.
- We’ll put the statement to our membership as soon as we’ve finalised the local element – and we’ll keep everyone in the loop on where negotiations are.
The prospect of punitive deductions is terrifying. We all feel that. But we’re not doing this alone, we have ‘twin’ branches funding us:
- We’ve been organising at grass-roots level, so that those branches who voted for action but find they can’t take it will support us.
- We have donations to our UCU-UAL Hardship Fund already promised from Lancaster and other ‘twins’ stepping forward, (LSBU, and other TUs) to pledge funds so that as a branch we can compensate members, if it does come to deductions. If you can’t take action but you want to support colleagues, or if you use social media a lot, here’s the link to our Hardship Fund crowdfund – share it widely!
- We are right now also fighting to get back some of the deductions taken from last strike, which UAL took at a higher rate than any other HE institution. So, we stand to gain a refund!
Bottom line! Help end this quickly: Stay off the Assessment Feedback Tool!
- Stay strong, don’t put anything on AF.
- You can work out how you want to do this: take your time in Marking, work to contract, talk to students. Talk to your UCU buddies at college. Talk to your reps. Have meetings!
- Remember there’s no need to ‘declare’ actions, they could change any time — and you are not legally obliged to do so.
- ASOS is simply working within your contracted hours: no going over 37 hours a week (pro-rata!), not midnight marking, no admin on weekends, no 12-hr days. Reclaim your life!
SUPPORT AND SURGERIES FOR EVERYONE:
- We’re here every day: 1-2pm on Zoom, for any questions, advice – to talk about any aspect of this Action. Check your email for details and links.
Local demands here https://www.ucu-ual.com/campaigns-issues/
If we hold our nerve we can get somewhere — we can make progress!
UCU-UAL Coordinating Committee (CoCom)