Swansea UCU MAB fund

Swansea University is facing salary deductions of 50%, with threats of 100%, for boycotting marking and assessment, work which often takes around 5 - 10% of staff's time.

Many university staff in the UK are participating in a Marking and Assessment Boycott (MAB) as part of the University College Union (UCU). Swansea University is partaking in this action due to ongoing disputes about university staff's working conditions managed by the University and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA). You may have seen the strikes that occurred this year over two months, and last year in November and February. Following this action, some progress was made on restoring cuts to our pensions, so the pressure put on Universities is working.

However, staff are still facing poor working conditions in four main areas:

• Casualisation of the sector - Many staff are surviving on short, fixed-term contracts

• Pay inequality - Women (-16%), Ethnic Minority (-17%) and Disabled (-9%) staff all earn less

• Workload demands - Staff are working two extra days on average, sometimes more

• Pay - Staff face a 25% real-terms pay cut, with only a 5 - 8% pay increase offered which does not meet the demands of inflation

Swansea University's Management have currently remained firm on deducting staff 50% of their salary, and the Union Committee are fighting this. Swansea UCU are using their local fund to support members with financial assistance; however, this fund is limited due to the size of this industrial action. Many staff will be in difficult financial situations over the coming months, and we are fundraising for union members who require financial aid over this period.

Your support will enable members to partake in the boycott, placing pressure on Universities and UCEA to come to the table and negotiate with the University College Union.

Please share this far and wide - all colleagues stand to benefit if our action is successful, and our working conditions are our students' learning conditions. An injury to one is an injury to all.

In Solidarity,

Swansea UCU Committee

(Please also consider writing to your MP: https://www.ucu.org.uk/ucuRISING-EmailYourMP)