Members of NATFHE, the university and college lecturers' union, are on
strike on June 3rd at Northumbria University. The strike is being followed
up by a ban on communicating marks, on attending formal University meetings
and exam boards and on working more than 37 hours per week - which will also
affect the marking process.
This situation has arisen because on April 28th the University announced the
abolition of 58 academic posts. This included 11 out of 22 posts in Modern
Languages, 17 out of 89 in Informatics and 19 out of 120 in Health,
Community & Education Studies. Some 300 staff were told that their post was
'at risk'. The University refused to rule out compulsory redundancies and
informed NATFHE that notices would be served on July 31 - i.e. right in the
middle of the Summer break - to take effect 3 months later.
In these circumstances NATFHE had no alternative but to ballot on industrial
action in the shortest possible period allowed by law. The action, taking
place from June 3rd onwards, is the result of the successful outcome of that
ballot.
The University is not in deficit. The individual Schools were targeted
because they were failing to generate a 6% surplus. But the total central
slice for surplus and support has risen from 41.4% to 46%, and all Schools
are required to make the same percentage contribution, no matter what their
actual demands on central support.
Since NATFHE declared a dispute and embarked on the process leading to
industrial action, the University has reduced the figure of threatened
compulsory redundancies. However, it has refused to withdraw the threat
altogether. The industrial action is therefore going ahead.
NATFHE very much regrets that matters have reached this point and wishes to
assure students in particular that the action is not directed against them.
We urge all students to attend examinations and submit coursework as normal.
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Dr Duncan Fuller
Division of Geography
Lipman Building
Northumbria University
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 8ST
Direct Tel - 0191 2273753
Fax - 0191 2274715
Divisional Office - 0191 2273428
PEANuT (Participatory Evaluation and Appraisal in Newcastle upon Tyne) -
http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/peanut
Geo-publishing.org - http://www.may.ie/nirsa/geo-pub/geo-pub.html
Radical Theory/Critical Praxis:
Making a Difference Beyond the Academy?
http://www.praxis-epress.org/availablebooks/radicaltheorycriticalpraxis.html
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