To think that the striking lecturers are hurting the wrong people?

[StrikeStrikeStrike]

So this morning I turned up to an important Lab, a Lab which is integral to an assessment. After a 30 minute wait it was confirmed the Lecturer was on strike and we were asked to leave.

While I understand the reasons for the strike, I can't help but feel angry. I understand they want to cause maximum disruption but a heads up would've been nice (fellow students on other courses have been given advance notice).

I am expected to go into University tomorrow for the second part of this Lab which forms part of our assessment. I'm expected to go in even though the chances of this Lecturer being on strike again are high. However, the department will not confirm the Lab as cancelled until 15 minutes after the start time.

Some of my fellow course members are choosing to stay home as they don't want the hassle of walking through the snow to a (probably non-existent) 9am Lab. Others are planning to attend anyway on principle.

I am unsure. I'm not sure I want to take the risk of not turning up if the Lab goes ahead. It is part of our assessment.

But, for me attending a 9am Lab means getting up at 6:30, getting the kids ready for school, all of us leaving the house by 7:15, catching a train (which cost £10), and finally a 30 minute walk. And tomorrow I could potentially be doing all that in the snow. Would you go?

AIBU to ask for a partial refund of my fees? The University are withholding the pay of staff who strike. Why should they (the University) profit?

of course payroll would be done - you seem overly invested in forcing an argument here HueandCry

Payroll would be a matter for university management to sort out, just like the disruption to students is in this case a matter for the university management to sort out. A legal strike is a legal strike, and I support the rights of all workers to participate in industrial action.

And I also am not sure what the point of this derail is.

Yes I do - it would get done. There are statutory responsibilities all employers have - health and safety, security etc. Universities have contingency plans for when those staff are unable to work. Similarly universities have contingency plans for payroll issues. And I can absolutely assure you that if payroll staff went on strike our Finance Director would do the payroll themselves if it necessary. It's it's not like strike happen with no prior notice.

Try being the parent of a very stressed student. Your husband does has made the choice to strike he doesn't have to. My dc has no choice

Do you not think any of us have children at university?

I'm sorry your dc is stressed. But there shouldn't be any reason for them to be. Exams and assessments will take into account missed lectures. All your dc's peers are in the same boat don't forget.

But do express your frustration (actually your dc should) at the VC.

I too am sorry your child is stressed - what year are they in? but yes - your child can join other students - look for example at Birmingham- where they've been supporting the lecturers stance agains the pension cuts and indeed calling out the VC on his attitude, questioning the value of his salary etc.
Mitigations are being put in place by universities for students - perhaps your child hasn't been informed of these fully which may be reassuring - if so then I'd urge them to speak perhaps to their Students Union who will be able to assist?

Hueandcry I am a lecturer on strike and I do not know one single striking colleague who would not fully support the right of non academic staff, or frankly any worker, to strike. We have absolutely nothing to gain from poor conditions for the people we work with (and we do work with non academic staff). Attacks on them are attacks on the institution and its work, and if we didn't believe in the value of that we'd frankly all have gone off and found better paid jobs elsewhere a long time ago.

I respect and care for my students immensely, and, judging from the messages I get from those who have long since graduated, they know this. I am prepared to do this work on the terms I took it on, with my eyes wide open. However, that doesn't mean I am prepared to do this work under any circumstances, through any attack on my situation and my future. There comes a point when I say no, UUK have to try harder than this and think harder about what the point of a university really is.

Although Birmingham isn’t on strike of course...

well no - but the students have written to the VC to complain about the tone of his letter which inferred that Bham wasn't striking because they valued students more greatly than other institutions.

We have a snow day here in the NE but teenaged daughter has just set off with her Dad to join the picket line

"Your husband does has made the choice to strike he doesn't have to. My dc has no choice."

As a former academic and for the sake of my children (all too young for university at the moment), I want universities to be able to attract the best people to research their subject and teach my children. Part of that is ensuring that those in academia are paid fairly and well and that their pension schemes, which would be worth so much more if they had gone into private firms because their salary would have been so much better, allow a decent standard of living. To think otherwise is just rather shortsighted.

I'm really sorry to hear that your DC, and any student, is stressed. I too would encourage them to complain vociferously to the people who have are failing to set the right priorities in universities. They can do that by joining with other students (a great many of whom are campaigning alongside lecturers in my institution) and making their voices heard by VC.

Ah ok thanks for the clarification myrtle. Eastwood is a dangerous creature alright.

My apologies -they wrote to VC and complained about provost's letter (the VC was off opening a campus in Dubai... obviously more important that resolving dispute - given he is Chair of USS)

My dc's peers are not all in the same boat. My dc has ASD & just getting to University was & is a struggle

As for derailment I refer you to the title of this thread which was started by a student

To think that the striking lecturers are hurting the wrong people?

The derailment was not mine but that of the striking lecturers trying to garner support for their actions

No the derailment is you raising hypotheticals about a non-existent strike by payroll staff.

But the OP says that "I'm not really angry with them [lecturers] I am very angry with the University"

Please do get your DC to speak to a welfare officer or similar if they are feeling stressed by the disruption and hopefully they can be reassured by understanding the mitigations that are being put in place - do you know if they've had this chat at all?

Hueandcry, I am a striking lecturer. And so is my husband. And as others in my position said here:

1. We are not doing it for fun. The strike goes on for 14 calendar days. This means that my family will lose over half of our income this month. And we are not rolling in it.

1. We would absolutely support the right of anyone else to strike, including university staff on grade 5 and below. Why would we not? We know from experience that people go on strike out of desperation.

1. I am sorry that your child is stressed, but lecturers stand to lose as much as 60% of their pensions while having their monthly pension contributions increased. What would you do if someone just halved your pension? Would that make you stressed? Would that make your child stressed because they would have to support you in your old age?

1. The strike is not just about the pensions. It's about the future of the whole of the UK higher education system. We are fighting against increasing marketisation and casualisation of labour. Would you like your child's higher education that he/she is getting in tens of thousands of pounds in debt for to be worthless? Would you like them to be taught by people on casual contracts with below minimum wage pay? Would you like for the UK higher education sector to become so unattractive that no talented people from UK or abroad would consider working in it? Is this the future you want for our country?

1. I suggest that your child gets together with other students into study support groups. It is possible to catch up with learning and exams will take place eventually.

1. As opposed to bickering about who's got what and who's more desperate, we should all be united against the race to the bottom. Overwhelming majority of lecturers stood against outsourcing of university support staff such as catering and cleaners, we marched together with the students against student fees, most of us do NOT vote Tory, and most of us did NOT vote for Brexit. We care about the future of our country and our fellow citizens, not just about short-term penny-pinching for the benefit of a few already overfed cats.

Hueandcry, you say your child has special needs. Who do you want to be working with your child to help him/her through a degree? An overworked and under-qualified stressed temp or a well-trained and fully dedicated lecturer on a secure contract?

Soupy you are obviously not aware that some payroll staff are Grade 5 and above & in the USS scheme & could be on strike BUT are not because they want you to get paid today. Not to mention all the extra work they will have to do to figure out your salaries for the next 2 months. Nothing hypothetical about it...

If they’re over Grade 5, in the USS scheme and in the union, then they should be on strike. I don’t want them sacrificing their right to industrial action on my behalf and the union have not instructed them to stay in work.

As for extra work to sort out payroll next month, that’s for university management to sort out. Payroll staff having to work extra should get paid overtime or TOIL.

I know you’re trying to needle and needle, to try and expose some imaginary hypocrisy. Keep trying.

If they are in the USS and not on strike, I take it they'll be declining any improvement in the pension offer that has been won on the back of their colleagues' financial sacrifice?

It's not just about you lecturers, although your self-importance astounds me. Nobody would get paid today. Or perhaps that is the sort of disruption you are seeking? Have a think about who your action is affecting...

I know who our action is affecting, thanks. I also know that our action is having the desired effect. The union is growing stronger and stronger, with thousands of new members these past 2 weeks. Hurrah!