Dear Katie,
Yes, set rates for external examining are part of what UCU is asking for, as well as closing the atrocious gender pay gap in the sector, improving the student experience by dealing with rampant casualisation of staff and addressing the substantial real-term cut in pay in recent years.
The UCU have been clear that the recommendation to external examiners stands outside of the action. It was decided upon by an elected body within UCU, so is within democratic systems and processes. It clearly support the action. Institutions I imagine were preparing to treat their staff with the usual threats and contempt if they applied a marking boycott. The strategy has therefore quite sensibly focused elsewhere, it seems to me. Industrial action is always a regrettable final resort, but it can work. The junior doctors have been admirable in their defence of their work, for example.
Mark Taylor-Batty
(sent from iPhone)
> On 19 May 2016, at 09:09, Katie Akerman <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> Dear Mike and colleagues,
>
> I'd be interested to better understand how the action regarding examiners was democratically decided - the ballot paper asked about strike action and about action short of a strike. To my mind, both are temporary stoppages of labour rather than permanent, which is what is being applied to examiners. I appreciate that UCU are keen on the introduction of a nationally-agreed pay scale for examiners (although this may be a case of being careful what you wish for) but I wasn't aware that examiners had agreed that UCEA might act on their collective behalf, and I'd understood that it's UCEA that UCU is in dispute with, rather than individual institutions (as we don't have devolved pay negotiations).
>
> Kind regards, Katie
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: External examiners discussion forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of DoctorMike Reddy
> Sent: 19 May 2016 06:11
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: UCU recommendations on external examining
>
> As someone else who was surprised, and initially dismayed at the prospect of damage to professional reputation, as well as letting colleagues down, I flagged to branch officials my own concerns over this. However, the action was democratically decided, and as instructed I will hand in notice on the 25th, unless told otherwise. We're ALL in this together. I'd urge colleagues to do the same, in good conscience. It sends the clearest message of solidarity.
>
> It can't just be my own institution that is actively culling people in the top salary brackets, with statutory minimum redundancies, to be replaced by Lecturers at the bottom of a HERA partitioned salary scale. This action is for them as much as for anyone, and is not just about pay, but equity, equality and fairness. Resigning from EE duties, even if a personal sacrifice, is commensurate with the current intransigent attitude of the employers.
>
> Mike
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