to ask what lecturers, students & parents think - precarious employment in universities

[morningtoncrescent62]

I've just read this report claiming that universities are using a 'Sports Direct' model to employ lecturers, and the most prestigious universities are the worst. Are the percentages to be believed? The claim is that more than 50% of the staff at Russell Group universities are on precarious contracts which sounds like a huge proportion, and scandalous if it's true or anywhere near true. My DDs finished university before the £9,000 tuition fees (thank goodness!) but if I was a student or a parent now I'd be outraged if I or my children were being taught by people on rubbish pay and conditions which surely can only cost a fraction of the current tuition fees. Or am I being hopelessly naive?

user72 I'm glad to hear that you know of several post-docs who have been treated well.

I guess it depends on the subject and your head of department.

Tulips experience more or less echoes mine. I think s/he may be the first poster here to mention VC's pay, which keeps on rising, and rising........ttps:www.ucu.org.uk/article/8096/Report-reveals-university-heads-pay-rises-and-perks

Oh, and like Tulip I also have more than one job, but also need WTC to survive (I'm sure my students would be amazed at this - an experienced academic with a PhD and a long list of publications who can only support her family by working several p/t jobs and is reliant on WTC. I suspect they think we all live in 6 bedroom townhouses in nice bits of town judging by some of their comments).

In the past you would have sohard.

I left academia after my PhD when I realised I couldn't face the postdoc life of shifting around the globe for 5 years.

One of my supervisors was retiring and he told me that when he finished his PhD he had a choice of jobs. And that then a lecturer was paid the same as an MP or a doctor.

Times have certainly changed!

Yes. A close relative in a Russell Group research position was on a short term contract. The uni let the contract run with no discussion on renewal so that the relative had to find another job due to the uncertainty, they could not afford to be unemployed. The uni offered to renew the contract on another short term extension on the last week so as to avoid paying redundancy pay. It is not only those with low level qualifications that are treated with contempt by their employers.

The graduates I see now in philosophy have two 'choices', either get successive, poorly paid, 9 month long, teaching contracts in different parts of the country or get yearly, probably better paid research fellowships in different parts of the country. The first option overwhelms early career colleagues with so much teaching they never do any research and get trapped in teaching-only insecure employment. The second option affords an opportunity to publish which is a good stepping stone to a permanent post.

A further hurdle, emerging in my discipline the last few years, is the need to get the right permanent post. Some departments are doing well and can afford to protect research time (by hiring other to do the teaching on temporary contracts), and have a history of successful grant applications which allows them to demonstrate expertise in a certain area and get more research grants.

This, incidentally, has also had a huge impact on research in my area which is now very much controlled by funding opportunities rather than the interests of researchers. So you also have to tailor your research to what is being funded.

A further hurdle, emerging in my discipline the last few years, is the need to get the right permanent post.

Yes, this is true. And yet ... it is possible to publish your way out of such posts.

But I do wonder why those saying on this thread that they don't quite survive (needing WTC etc) - as gently as possible, I do wonder, why do you stay doing this? Why don't you gather up your transferable skills, and get ft jobs in other areas which actually pay?

I once had a few difficult months in between contracts - I had a mortgage (at 15% interest in those days) and no partner (I've have never had anyone else's income to fall back on actually & still don't). I was starting to look at other kinds of jobs & other kinds of life. I was lucky - the right job came up for me - at a time when there were only about one or 2 jobs (if that) in my broad area in any year - and I got a permanent post.

But had that not happened - I was preparing my parachutes. Even in the humanities, most PhDs don't get permanent lectureships.

I love my discipline, it's not just a job it's a joy, a privilege, and incredibly stimulating and exciting experience. I love teaching with the same passion.

I left academia 6 years ago. I do a bit of research on the side now just for my benefit.

ft jobs in other areas which actually pay
I would do, if there were any.

My DH's income is larger than mine and almost as secure as it's possible to get.

So I can 'afford' for my career - which I see as a portfolio one - to be a bit insecure (and also stimulating and fulfilling in many ways). Which is not to say it's okay that there is such insecurity in academia now. It's a disgrace, actually.

Not just academia, banking too.

would any one be interested in talking to me about their experience of this kind of work and how it works with their childcare responsibilities. There was an exhibition made in 1979 called Who's Holding the Baby? And I want to do an updated version of it to highlight the struggles women face particularly when they have precarious work situations.

Pop over to Academics' Corner Rose,I?m sure you'll find people to answer you there.

Why "women" Rose - surely childcare responsibilities are the responsibilities of both parents?

I have a PhD and work in industry. That was almost by accident though, I was hoping an academic post would arise but it did not happen at the time. Over time I continued to look for something suitable in uni, and progressed in industry instead.

I do feel sorry for the current generation of PhD students/post docs. The future not bright, more competition, short term contracts, brexit uncertainty, etc.

However, the reality is that in industry there is no such thing a permanent job either. Companies go through expansion and contraction phases, people are laid off, plants close, etc.

There is uncertainty in both worlds.

For 5 years, I had zero hours, termly-renewable, hourly based contracts which paid me only for the time I was physically teaching (no prep time) plus a per-paper amount for marking. I lived off my husband's income and typically led two modules a year (permanent staff taught 3). I earned £6k a year during this time. Even though overhead preparation of my lectures was not paid for by the University, I had to sign them over to them in my contracts, in the event that I left.

I have just published my way into a permanent post, but this was entirely at my own expense: I wasn't paid to do research, only to teach, and as others have said, the teaching takes up so much time. I had to trust the University, publish it under their name for their REF submission, even though it was self-funded, and hope that they would eventually keep their side of the bargain. I'm highly experienced (not a post-doc) and had stellar results from my students, but money is tight.

I now teach 3 modules a year, and earn x6 what I was earning before.

It's shameful.