The University has criticised lecturers’ decision to take part in a marking boycott in protest of proposed cuts to staff pensions.
A statement released to The Gryphon said, ‘We are extremely disappointed that the UCU (University and College Union) has decided to take industrial action now. This action needlessly threatens student assessment, progression and perhaps ultimately graduation’.
The news comes as lecturers vote to withdraw from setting exams, marking and giving feedback to students as part of national industrial action starting on Thursday.
Last month, 69 UK universities were balloted on whether to act in the ‘increasingly bitter row’ over pensions. The University and College Union (UCU) claims that some lecturers would lose hundreds of thousands of pounds of savings if proposals by Universities UK (UKK) went ahead.
President of Leeds University UCU Mark Taylor-Batty explained, ‘There will be a partial withdrawal of labour in protest at tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds being removed from our pensions. The proposals, if activated, will mean University of Leeds lecturers will have a far worse pension than Leeds Beckett lecturers, who are in a different scheme’.
Dr Taylor-Batty claimed that staff who take part in the boycott risk having their pay docked by the University, although this has yet to be confirmed.
In a national ballot this month, the majority 87% of members voted for ‘action short of a strike’, with 78% calling for a complete withdrawal of labour.
Dr Taylor-Batty said, ‘It’s likely the action could continue through to Christmas or even the exam period. My genuine hope is that we see a month of action at the most and a solution as a result of it, so that we can rectify any impact on students quickly’.
The University spokesperson added, ‘UCU and representatives of the employers are currently engaged in negotiations to ensure the sustainability of the national pension scheme, USS. Those negotiations are at a very early stage – the first meeting was last week and UCU has yet to put forward its own proposal’.
‘Naturally, we will do all we can to minimise the impact on our students and will issue guidance as soon as possible’.
Speaking to The Gryphon, a second-year French and German student explained, ‘There are other means for lecturers to have their voices heard that don’t involve affecting the education of students who are paying a substantial amount’.
A Civil Engineering student said, ‘I think action is justified. Professors should be allowed to fight for their rights in the same way students do’.
The industrial action begins on Thursday.
Read the UCU briefing notice to students here.
Charlotte Mason
Image: Leeds UCU