Dear Students of the University of Bradford,

I am writing to you on behalf of those that are currently taking part in industrial action in support of our demands for better working conditions for staff.

What is the dispute about?

The Four Fights dispute has separate strands covering Workload, Precarious Contract Arrangements, Gender Pay Equality, and Pay.

Workload – You are probably aware that at Bradford staff levels have fallen over the last five years. There are several reasons for this, but fundamentally this has a detrimental impact on the ability of your tutor to support you in your studies. Many staff combat this by working long hours way beyond that for which they are contracted, and for no more pay. Working 60 hours plus a week to keep on top of workload is not uncommon across the sector.

Whilst staff recruitment has alleviated the worst of this, the fundamental failing of too few staff to adequately support our students remains, with staff having to work long hours unpaid to cover that deficit.

Precarious Contracts – A large number of academic staff (~3,500) in HE are employed on so called “zero hours” contracts. Approximately ~40% of teaching focused staff are on hourly paid contracts and >65% of research focused staff are on fixed-term contracts. Staff on those arrangements cannot guarantee their income, making it difficult to get a mortgage or even to be confident that they can provide for their family. They are paid only for contact time with students; preparation for that delivery is done at their own expense.

Pay Equality – Recent assessments indicate that female staff are paid on average 16% less for the same job despite having the same levels of achievement and experience as their male colleagues. The gap between Black and White staff is 17% and the disability gap 9%.

Pay – Since 2008 successive pay settlements have been below even the lowest levels of inflation. This means that as you read this the real terms value of salaries is just around 75% of its value in 2008, even before the current cost of living crisis. Despite this the employer has refused to discuss pay in any meaningful way and has ‘imposed’ a settlement on staff that has been rejected by UCU and its members.

What do we want?

On the first three strands of the dispute UCU is demanding binding commitments and a timetabled plan to end these unsatisfactory practices. Previous attempts to resolve these matters have been unsuccessful; this time UCU believes that it has the mandate to force the employer to stick to promises that it has previously reneged upon.

On the issue of pay, UCU expects the employer to return to negotiations to reach a settlement that offsets our devastating loss of earnings.

What about students?

The marking and assessment boycott is the next phase in this long running dispute that commenced last year with periods of strike action.

I hope you will recognise that this lawful action is not undertaken lightly and is done despite your tutor’s commitment to you and your success.

Most importantly please understand that this is not an attack on you and your peers, rather it is an attempt to get the employer to see sense and recognise the critical importance of the relationship that exists between you and your tutor.

What can I do?

We ask that you support your tutors by lobbying the University to support a fairer deal on all strands of the Four Fights dispute. You may want to write to the Vice Chancellor (S.Congdon@bradford.ac.uk) to show your support and be vocal on social media in support of the UCU Rising campaign. Above all, make sure your tutor knows that you understand the incredible pressures that they are under and why action is being taken.

UCU believes that the resolving of this dispute is crucial in allowing its members to get back to the job they do best and that they most love – supporting you and helping you achieve your maximum potential.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.

Dr Zak Hughes – LA President

A downloadable PDF of this letter is available here:

Open Letter to Students re MAB 27 April 2023 1

With the marking and assessment boycott now in place, here is another chance to discuss how a MAB works, question branch committee on how to apply the MAB, advice on dealing with management and student queries, and a further update from HQ.

The following motions will also be debated.

Condemnation of the Threat of Punitive Action

The branch notes that:

Following UCU’s announcement of a marking and assessment boycott (MAB), the University has threatened up to 100% pay deduction for what it terms partial performance.

Such disproportionate action would be punitive and amounts to a transparently wilful attempt to intimidate those of its own staff who are taking lawful action; such bullying is deplorable.

100% pay deduction would be wholly disproportionate given the University’s own assessment and acceptance that a MAB constitutes a partial withdrawal of labour.

MOTION 1

UCU University of Bradford Local Association calls upon the University to act fairly in its dealings with staff who participate in lawful action by removing ALL threats of disproportionate sanction.

Call for the University to act in the best interests of students and staff

The branch notes that:

The current dispute has been further protracted by the employer’s unwillingness to meet the reasonable expectations of members that the long-term erosion of the value of our pay be reversed through a realistic and just settlement.

That it is in the best interests of the University of Bradford that the present dispute be drawn to a swift conclusion.

That to date the University of Bradford has chosen to be led by UUK and UCEA unlike some other institutions.

That UCEA and UUK are disproportionately influenced by larger and more vocal institutions to whom a protracted dispute may not be seen as so challenging, and that it is therefore essential that the University of Bradford’s voice is heard.

MOTION 2

UCU University of Bradford Local Association calls upon the University to lobby UUK and UCEA for a fairer deal on pay as a means of protecting the best interests of students, staff, and the University of Bradford, and its reputation as a welcoming and supportive educator and employer.

Dear Colleague,

We have commenced a national marking and assessment boycott in our pay and working conditions dispute. The initial feedback is that support has been overwhelming.

This is despite many of you receiving outrageous threats of punitive deductions from employers for daring to make a stand. Many of you have been told you are facing 50% pay deductions, with some employers even going to 100%. These actions are immoral, aimed at intimidating you, and about attempting to break your resolve as quickly as possible.

I want to start by addressing the law. The legal system in the UK is stacked against working people. But let me be clear: UCU will take legal advice and action wherever we possibly can. One of the issues we have is that we cannot commence action against an employer until after deductions have taken place, and a further outrage of the UK legal system means that any claim we do make will be tied up for years before knowing if we have won. Whilst the potential to take legal action does exist, and we will obviously fight these deductions legally where possible, at this point in time the law does not help you.

This is why we have developed a plan to apply maximum pressure on employers immediately.

1. we will be writing to MPs setting out the actions of employers; we will set up a process for you to support this as members
2. we are building solidarity and fundraising networks across our movement
3. we will be using local press and national media to expose employers which move to punitive deductions
4. we will be working with local student groups to create maximum pressure and solidarity on the ground; we will set up a tool for staff and students to email their vice-chancellors
5. we have developed a social media strategy to target institutions which are attacking our members
6. we will escalate to strike action in universities where punitive deductions take place.

We are going to raise the profile of these attacks from university management, and raise money and support for you.

It is absolutely crucial that you play your part in this plan as well.

Document every conversation on deductions that takes place locally, share all of the union’s content, write to your local MP and most crucially of all–back the marking and assessment boycott.

We will not bow down to intimidation.

The employers can end this now. Table a renewed offer on pay and working conditions. It’s that or we will take this dispute to an even higher level.

In solidarity

Jo Grady 
UCU general secretary

Follow this link for details and FAQ’s regarding the UCU Marking and assessment boycott 2023

The boycott is a key element of ASOS as UCU builds pressure on the employer to make a meaningful and binding commitment to fair pay and working conditions for all staff.

For those unable to get to the EGM this week here is the slides presentation.

EGM_19Apr2023

In what was a wide ranging discussion, the following additional points were made during Q&A:

• Whilst the USS dispute is still live, the decision to ‘note’ the employers offer meant that action would be suspended to allow time for ongoing negotiation.   Further action may be triggered if progress stalls.
• Members should attend classes where there may be some elements of assessment, but should not takes notes or mark any work.
• It is important to recognise that scripts, marks etc. whether physical or electronic are the property of the University and must be handed over upon request.   For this reason it is inadvisable to ‘mark and park’ work.
• Whilst pay deduction is essentially a local issue, and action as a response is also a local matter, HQ would coordinate action nationally.   If 100% deduction was imposed widely across the sector then there could be escalation to an all out strike.
• Members should be aware that in order to meet strict anti-trade union legislation requirements for notification of action, a further programme of strike action may be announced in the coming days.   This would however be in anticipation of no further movement as a consequence of the MAB.
• To date the University has not declared its intentions regarding pay deduction, save to reserve the right to deduct 100%.   It is recognised however that any partial deduction would need to be properly assessed and applied equitably across the institution.

Members with questions of a more specific/unique nature were asked to email ucusupport@bradford.ac.uk for tailored guidance.

For those considering making an application to the UCU Fighting Fund, here is a reminder of the days on which strike action took place over the course of the current disputes:

• 3 days in Nov (24th, 25th, and 30th)
• 6 days in Feb (1st, 9th, 10th, 14th, 15th, 16th)
• 6 days in March (15th, 16th, 17th, 20th, 21st, 22nd)

You  will need to provide evidence (i.e. a pay slip showing strike deductions) at the point of making your claim.

You can find full details of the Fighting Fund and how to claim here.

With the Marking and Assessment Boycott now upon us, members may be quizzed by their line managers as to their intentions and/or impact on their duties over the coming period.

Firstly, remember that you are under no obligation to forewarn the employer of your intention in respect of industrial action, but must answer truthfully after the fact.  If you are asked about whether you are participating in ASOS including the marking and assessment boycott, you should respond only in terms of what action you have taken/are currently taking, but not answer about future intentions regarding ASOS.

Here are a few phrases that may be useful as responses to enquiries from the employer:

“I am unable to attend this meeting / mark these scripts / invigilate this exam because I am taking part in UCU’s lawful industrial action in the form of a marking and assessment boycott.”

“I am continuing to perfomr all of my normal duties other than those affected by the marking and assessment boycott and any other lawful action short of a strike / industrial action called by my union.”

“This is official action – UCU have informed you it is taking place.”

“As you are aware I am under no obligation to inform you  in advance of my intentions with regard to industrial action.”

The branch will take any incidents of bullying or harassment of members because of their participation (or indeed their refusal to declare their intentions) very seriously.   Please contact the branch as soon as possible to report such behaviour by emailing ucusupport@bradford.ac.uk in the first instance.

Members should look out for their invitation to an Extraordinary General Meeting to be held at 1pm on 19th April 2023.

This important EGM will take place immediately after the Special Higher Education Sector Conference at which the next steps in the dispute will be decided.

Your President and SHESC delegate Zak Hughes will be bringing hot off the press news of decisions made at that meeting.

In addition there will be a question and answer session focussed on helping members prepare for the marking and assessment boycott that is currently scheduled to commence 20th April 2023.

Please make every effort to attend this important EGM.

Last week the Higher Education Committee of UCU (HEC) voted to commence formal consultations with members on the latest proposals from employers.

By now members should have received email communication containing separate consultations over our pay and conditions (Four Fights) and pensions disputes – please look out for them and check junk mailboxes if you haven’t seen them yet.

Members are encouraged to consider reports from negotiators and HEC before providing feedback, and links to all of that information is contained within the email.

Under current legislation, trade unions are required to give notice of intent to undertake action 10 days prior to the start of that action.   For this reason, and in advance of the conclusion of the consultation with members, UCU will formally advise the employer of its intention to call a marking and assessment boycott (MAB) commencing 17th April.

Members should be clear that there is no intention to pre-judge the outcome of consultation; your feedback on the current offer from the employer is crucial in shaping the future of the dispute and we would urge you to engage fully with this phase of the dispute.