Mum says daughter will go to ‘Bristol instead’ after picket line controversy

A Liverpool Uni offer-holder's mum has said her daughter will now "not even consider" the university after students were told it would be "unlawful" for them to cross the picket line.

Alison Bambridge tweeted her disappointment with the university over how they have handled recent industrial action, saying: "You have just offered my straight As daughter a place for September. She will now not even consider you."

She told The Liverpool Tab her daughter would be "joining her sister" in Bristol instead, adding: "Seeing the Bristol Vice-Chancellor on the picket line yesterday sent a clear message that is the antithesis of what came out of Liverpool."

UoL is facing national controversy online after sending an e-mail advising students to not partake in picketing during the current strikes by lecturers due to the the reform of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) which is cutting lecturers' pensions.

Alison, the mother of the offer-holder, told The Liverpool Tab her daughter was unsure whether to choose Liverpool or not until recent events.

She said: "She has offers from five universities [and] the course content was similar so she was struggling with which she would accept."

Alison, who was also a lecturer for 15 years, said her daughter "witnessed first-hand the impact of overwork, stress and lack of compassion from senior management" at universities.

She told The Liverpool Tab both her and her daughter feel the lack of compassion is evident in Liverpool after seeing how the university have handled the strikes.

Alison said: "At the moment it is likely my daughter will join her sister in Bristol.

"Seeing the Bristol Vice-Chancellor on the picket line yesterday sent a clear message that is the antithesis of what came out of Liverpool."

Multiple Liverpool students also tweeted their anger at the University of Liverpool for pressuring students to ignore picket lines, as the university declared missing lecturers will also "affect your attendance record."

A spokesperson for the university said: "We are committed to supporting our students throughout industrial action and ensuring they have accurate information.

"We undertake regular monitoring of all undergraduate student attendance.

"This is not only to ensure we fulfil our duties on international student visas to UKVI, but is also vital as attendance is an important indicator of student wellbeing.

"Monitoring information enables us follow up patterns of non-attendance with students so that we can provide them with appropriate support, should they need it.

"As such, attendance monitoring must continue throughout industrial action and it is important that our international students are aware of this.

"We respect our students' rights to support the industrial action, should they wish to do so.

"However it is important that they have the necessary information to do so lawfully.

"Whilst there are some good sources of information on this, including in UCU materials, we were made aware of inaccuracies from other sources which we sought to clarify."

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