UCU alerts lecturers to boycott marking

The University of St Andrews has been notified by the University and College Union (UCU) that its members are planning a marking boycott due to take place from Tuesday 6th May as part of a continuing campaign across the UK in relation to the pay of University lecturers and researchers.

If the action goes ahead, it means that members of the UCU in St Andrews will refuse to mark coursework, examinations and other formal assessments, greatly impacting the St Andrews exam diet that begins on the 12th May 2014. For those students hoping to graduate this term, the marking boycott could mean that they may not be able to receive a properly classified degree and thus won’t graduate in June.

The dispute stems from last year’s pay settlement whereby University Employers granted a 1% increase in pay, however the UCU argues that the pay should be higher, especially in relation to the pay increases of Vice Chancellors nationwide. Despite now being offered a 2% increase, the national dispute is still ongoing and neither the University, nor the St Andrews branch of the UCU can resolve such a national dispute.

The University has stated that a large majority of St Andrews staff haven’t taken part in recent industrial action and so are unlikely to take part in the boycott, however they will not know the full picture until the ballot takes place.

Therefore we (and especially fourth year students) will be eagerly awaiting the result of the ballot on Tuesday May 6th.