There have been high levels of conflict between trade unions and employers at UK universities in the last year. The last week of September, which is godfather week in many places, should also be strike week at almost all universities. Lecturers, librarians and technical staff will participate.

But it didn’t work.

Employees at 36 universities participated in strikes throughout the week and another 11 universities went on strike for one to three days.

Boycott assessment

From April to September, the UCU, University and College union, staged a boycott in which employees did not mark assignments or censor exams.

The boycott was triggered by low additional salaries, many unsafe positions and heavy workloads. Frustrated students did not receive their diplomas and employers reacted in many places by withholding half or all of the salaries of those taking part in the boycott.

On 6 September, the UCU called off the boycott and promised a general strike. But one by one local teams at universities refused to go on strike, after employers promised to halt wage increases, and in some places even pay back their salaries.

Want real wage growth and a permanent position

UCU represents 120,000 employees and its partner UCEA, the Association of University and College Employers, conducts wage negotiations on behalf of 144 universities.

In the past year, prices have risen dramatically in the UK, and inflation has reached more than 10 percent in some months. based on BBC the general wage increase was 7.8 percent. Therefore, more than half of UCU members voted no to UCEA’s 5 percent salary offer. They want a salary increase equal to inflation plus 2 percent.

They can’t do anything about the salary, but UCU claims to have it achieved another victoryso they made his employer withdraw his application cut 35 percent of pension fundsand for the first time they invited employers to discuss workload and temporary work.

Official statistics show that 33 percent of highly educated employees have one temporary contract. About 2 percent have 0-hour contracts, that is, there are no fixed working hours. According to UCU, the average university employee works 2 extra days, without pay, every week.

based on Guard has there ever been a conflict within the union regarding the general strike and regarding the next steps, because UCU is in the process of a general strike new poll whether they can continue their actions.