This is what the NUS is writing about the union action...
 
Saludos solidarios, 
Dorothea 
 
________________________________

Von: NUS Strike Update [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Gesendet: Do 18/05/2006 8:43
An: Kleine,DJ (pgr)
Betreff: What you need to know about the lecturers' pay dispute


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Lecturer's pay dispute: what you need to know


You may be aware that the UK's two largest lecturer's unions, the Association of University Teachers (AUT) and the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education (NATFHE) are currently involved in a pay dispute with their university employers. AUT and NATFHE represent the majority of lecturers in Higher Education (HE), so it is likely that there will be members of either union working in your college or university.

This email will explain what the current situation is and what impact this may have on you and other students. Scroll down the page for information on the following topics:

*	The lecturers' action 
*	Why it's taking place 
*	What impact this may have on students 
*	What NUS thinks 
*	What action NUS is taking 
*	What action you can take 
*	Further sources of information


What action are lecturers taking?


Following a one-day strike on 7th March, AUT and NATFHE are currently taking 'action short of a strike' which principally involves refusing to mark work (including examinations), boycotting staff appraisal schemes and refusing to cover for absent colleagues. In addition, the AUT are also refusing to set exams papers. More information on what action short of a strike entails can be found here:

http://tinyurl.com/mb9ws <http://mailings.nusonline.co.uk/components/mailclick.aspx?link=430> 


Why is this happening?


Underpaid staff


Lecturers are striking because they want more pay. Academics have been underpaid for twenty years, a problem that the universities have failed to address and avoided by claiming they can't afford higher wages.

For more info on the history of underpay, see:

http://www.aut.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=1528 <http://mailings.nusonline.co.uk/components/mailclick.aspx?link=431> 


Failed promises


University Vice Chancellors used low academic salaries as a way of convincing many MPs to vote for top-up fees when the legislation went through parliament. In fact, even Alan Johnson, the then Minister for Higher Education, assured MPs that 'University Vice Chancellors tell us that, in general, at least a third of that money will be put back into the salaries and conditions of their staff.' The VCs are now failing to fulfil this commitment, which is why lecturers are taking action.

The lecturers unions and the universities (who are represented at pay negotiations by the University and Colleges Employers Association, UCEA) have met on several occasions to attempt to come to a settlement. At the last meeting, the employers offered a 12.6% pay increase over three years. This came nowhere near the 23% over three years that the lecturers are asking for. Please use the following link to read a message from the lecturers unions to students:

http://tinyurl.com/ma94p <http://mailings.nusonline.co.uk/components/mailclick.aspx?link=432> 


What will this mean for me?


This action may impact on you in the following ways:

*	You may not be able to see your tutors/supervisors to discuss assessed work, including dissertations; 
*	You may not get marks for work you have submitted for assessment, including your exams; 
*	You may not be able to sit some or all of your exams.

The above consequences of the strike may also mean that if you are a finalist, you may be unable to graduate on the date you expected to. The extent of this will vary from institution to institution depending on what action your lecturers are taking.


What does NUS think?


NUS has supported the academic unions' campaign for better pay from the start. We believe that the quality of higher education will diminish unless we ensure that lecturers are well-paid and highly motivated - without this, we fear that less people will want to enter the profession, and that more of our leading academics will be attracted overseas where pay and conditions are better. We want UK students to continue to be taught by the best, and we believe that the only way of doing this is by ensuring that lecturers are adequately paid.

NUS is nevertheless extremely concerned about the impact the industrial action is having on our members. As the representative body of 2 million students in Higher Education, we feel it is our duty to do everything we can to help resolve this situation as soon as possible, and minimize the impact on students wherever possible.

Further details on NUS' support for the lecturers can be found here:

http://tinyurl.com/qnc72 <http://mailings.nusonline.co.uk/components/mailclick.aspx?link=433> 


What action is NUS taking?


Condemning the decision not to set exams


While we support AUT and NATFHE taking action that their members have voted for in their campaign for better pay, we are acutely aware that the action short of a strike could have a huge impact on the futures of many students. The AUT's continuing stance not to set exams is extremely concerning for our members and we have condemned this aspect of the boycott from the start. The refusal to set exams is having the biggest impact on students, which is why we have always opposed it. Sitting exams is stressful enough, but not knowing when you are going to take them is unbearable.

We have both written and met with the AUT and are keeping the pressure up to ensure they understand how damaging this could be to students' lives.


Encouraging negotiation


We have consistently made moves to aid the resolution of this dispute between the lecturer's and institutions. UCEA stalled negotiations for weeks by refusing to meet the academic unions for formal pay negotiations. This delay has meant that this dispute is now affecting students during the crucial examination period. Throughout this period, NUS was vocal in calling for all parties to get to the negotiation table so that the dispute could be resolved as soon as possible. Since the unions refused the offer of 12.6%, talks have broken down once again, and we are meeting with UCEA to encourage everyone to get back round the table and for the negotiations to continue.


Calling on the Government to minimise the impact on students


We have also written to leading politicians, such as the Secretary of State for Education, Alan Johnson MP, and Minister for Higher Education, Bill Rammell MP, calling on them to use their influence to help bring an end to the dispute, and take steps to minimise the impact this action is having on students. In particular we raised the issue of disabled students and international students who may be forced to incur extra support, living, accommodation, travel and visa costs if this action continues. We have also written to the Prime Minister through our International Student Committee on this topic.

We briefed MP's on the impact this dispute is having on students in preparation for a special meeting of the influential House of Commons Education & Skills Select Committee, a group comprised of MPs that look into issues surrounding education. On Wednesday (17th May) the committee heard evidence from both the universities and the lecturers and will produce a report on their findings and make recommendations following this.

The proceedings can we watched in full at http://www.parliamentlive.tv/ <http://mailings.nusonline.co.uk/components/mailclick.aspx?link=434>  - just click on 'committees'.


Working with graduate employers


We are also working with the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) to provide guidance for employers and students on how to deal with delays in receiving degree classifications. The AGR has been meeting with employers urging them to consider the circumstances that have come about through no fault of the students involved. We want to reassure students that employers have proved to be very sympathetic to the situation, and the guidance recommends that they honour any job offers that have been made. The guidance will be posted on our website, www.nusonline.co.uk, early next week.


What can I do?


We are urging you to help bring pressure on the employers to return to the negotiating table. You can do this by making a complaint against the university using its own internal complaints procedure. Please follow this link to a step-by-step guide to making a formal complaint: 

http://tinyurl.com/ogexg <http://mailings.nusonline.co.uk/components/mailclick.aspx?link=435> 


How do I keep up to date?


To get more information about this issue, please visit www.nusonline.co.uk <http://mailings.nusonline.co.uk/components/mailclick.aspx?link=436>  where we are providing regular updates on action and implications.

You can find out more about the lecturer's campaigns at www.aut.org.uk <http://mailings.nusonline.co.uk/components/mailclick.aspx?link=437>  and www.natfhe.org.uk <http://mailings.nusonline.co.uk/components/mailclick.aspx?link=438> 

If you have further concerns, contact your local students' union and ask for their advice.


And finally...


It is crucial that we stand behind the lecturers on this issue. We understand the concern that many of you will be feeling. But without well-paid and motivated staff, the future of HE will look very bleak indeed.

In unity,

Kat Fletcher, NUS National President


Contents of this mail are © NUS, 2006... thanks for reading.

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