University strikes: Is the dispute over?

By Oliver Cohen, Deputy Online Editor

Despite falling of the radar of popular discussion on campus, Deputy Online Editor Oliver Cohen explores the concern that the story of University strikes may be far from over.

Cast your minds back to last term, before the long summer, when exams still were an unfinished thought, sapping energy and time in equal proportion. Around this time the jubilant news that the strikes had finally be called off welcomed in the end of the university year as undeniable good news. However, like VE day and the subsequent cold war, all is not over just yet.

The strikes ended after the UCU – the union behind the lecturers – agreed with UUK – the union representing university employers - to set up 'JEP'. JEP is the joint expert panel to re-evaluate the situation on the USS - the Universities Superannuation Scheme.

Moving on from the endless acronyms to the present, just before term began on 13 September, the JEP released the long-awaited report which so much undoubtedly rides on. The full details are verbose but what is worth noting is the plan. The ‘Terms of reference’ define the guidelines for what the report should cover and more importantly the scope of discussion.

The ‘scope’ of the report, the specific issues it concerns, is helpfully summarised in this table also taken from the report below:

What is most striking is the big-ticket issues that are plainly and purposely out of scope for the report. ‘Negotiations of the new benefits structure,’ i.e. the most important aspect of this whole situation has not and will not yet be analysed until phase 2 of the report. While so far 2017/18 strike action was ended as part of the agreement, what happens next? Do both sides agree on the report’s recommendations unanimously? While the UCU has endorsed the recommendations of the report, as of yet UUK and USS haven’t.

The fundamental factors that led to this situation, the broad industry shift from a benefit to contribution focus of the pension schemes and financial pressures touted by the UUK haven’t just vanished. Dialogue is invaluable, but nothing is as of yet set in stone about how these fundamental issues are going to be resolved. Phase 2 of the report, the crucial 'future-looking' part does not have a definite release date.

Indeed, a line from the ‘Looking ahead’ section states: 'Given the need to prepare for the 2020 actuarial valuation, the Panel believes that Phase 2 should start as soon as possible.' An actuarial valuation is, in essence, analysis and appraisal of the scheme from a financial standpoint. Whether this will mean 2020 acts as a backstop is uncertain; with the 2017 valuation not yet over, phase 2 is still very hypothetical.

What this could hopefully mean is that while the second half of the report is in the synthesis stage, it may act as a deterrent to further strike action.

Conjecture aside, the UKU officially told Epigram that there was no strike action planned. They did, however, have their dispute committee meeting on the 5th of October, the consequences of which are not yet known.

Closer to home, speaking to the university, they said that they aim to engage with staff and have set up consultation schemes to involve staff in their official recommendations to the various unions. They, however, conceded that they have been preparing for strikes by contingency planning for the last few months.

Certainty is not a term that can really be used to the sum up the last few paragraphs. Last term may have given the impression we’re out of the woods, yet we may only be approaching the centre of the forest.

we have been undertaking contingency planning for some months

A University of Bristol spokesperson said: ‘A big part of our planning is to proactively engage with staff about pensions before a ballot. We are currently running a series of six staff pension briefings about both the USS consultation and JEP findings. Our web pages have been updated to make information easier to find.’

‘We have also set up a Staff Pensions Working Group, which is open to any member of staff to join. This group will continue to be consulted on the University of Bristol submission to UUK consultations. We were one of twelve institutions to make a joint submission to the JEP expert panel and were pleased that the JEP recommendations reflect the arguments that we made.’

‘In order to protect the education and learning experience of our students as far as we can, we have been undertaking contingency planning for some months. Should the outcome of the consultation result in further strike action, we will do all we can to make sure all views are heard and respected, whilst minimising disruption to students and non-striking staff.’

So, the story of strikes may be far from over.

Featured Image: Hannah Worthington / Epigram

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