You will no doubt have seen that head office have notified a marking and assessment boycott to start tomorrow, 20^th April. Please watch out for national communications on this but I expect that it will go ahead. We are planning an informal branch meeting to discuss this, hopefully next week, and will be repeating our daily Solidaritea support meetings starting at the resumption of the semester in May – more details to follow. In the meantime, please read the very comprehensive UCU marking and assessment boycott frequently asked questions.  

We have not yet seen a specific announcement from the university about pay deductions for participation in the marking and assessment boycott. However, the university’s original threat includes a threat to deduct pay for not returning assessment marks in a timely fashion. This, combined with announcements up and down the country of universities threatening punitive pay deductions, suggests that our employer will continue to take an intimidatory and threatening position.

The fight against punitive deductions for participating in the marking and assessment boycott will be a national one for the whole union, including us, to fight. 

I can also confirm that the local hardship fund will be available for staff participating in the boycott, including any hourly paid staff in respect of marking accepted before the start of the boycott (20 April). The national fund is also available although last year its applicability to hourly paid markers was vague and we are therefore prepared to pay the entirety of wages lost to hourly paid staff from the local fund. For salaried staff the national fund will pay up to 5 days lost wages for participation in action short of a strike.

If marking and assessment are not part of your job role we will be fundraising to support staff – please consider donating to support this powerful action and our fight for decent pay and conditions.

This post is from an email to UCU branch members from branch president Chloe Wallace, sent 19 April 2023