AUT Strike

tweek_2

jr666 wrote:

What about the summer break? Its 13 weeks long and i cant believe they're "researching" all the time, as i've said above they seem to have more intresting persuits.

Obviously some are worse than others, but some really take the !!!!!!. Think 4 day weekends, and 12pm-6pm days for when they are in...

vicki98_2

i've just completed a masters degree .. at least i've handed all my work in for marking! my uni are saying they will try to avoid the action from affecting most students, however it seems i am 'one of the few' that will be affected. Having worked solid on my dissertation for months, the lecturers are unable to disclose the results to exam boards. It looks like my grades will be based on past performance and my dissertation is likely to count for nothing.

the emails they keep sending out do very little to clarify whats going on. I know some unis are refusing to confirm or give out degrees until work can be marked properly. Wish mine was doing that really .. i'd sooner wait receive a grade that i'd worked for and was entitled to, than receive a degree based on a little guess work

ffeindadifyr

rubber_soul wrote:

One or both of your examiners could be members of the AUT or NATFHE, and may therefore be unwilling to 'mark' (i.e. read) your thesis and viva you whilst the strike is ongoing. They'd be quite within their rights to do this, but I have heard of several students who have had their vivas during this period, as their examiners have tactfully chosen to ignore this part of the strike.

However, I would suspect in your case that the examiners are reading your thesis, and are hoping that the strike will soon be over. 3-5 months is a normal waiting time from submission to viva, so you are not 'behind' as yet. You could ask your supervisor to make informal enquiries on your behalf, just to find out exactly what's going on.

If I'm correct I think I read on the AUT website that PhD viva examinations weren't affected by the strike action. You can alway check this by sending an email ti the AUT. I suggest you all read the AUT website as the Universities are not clearly stating what is included in this strike action that was started A LONG TIME before the exams, but the UNi's only started talking to the unions just a week before the exams.

Can I also suggest that the first step in resolving this issue would be to write a strong worded letter to your local MP (expressing your views either way) so that the gov't can put pressure on both the employers and the AUT to resolve this problem.

Secondly I would personally avoid taking legal action against the uni until after you have tried the appeal route of your University - ask now about what avenues you can pursue to appeal if you feel the need to.

Good luck all!

Chalky87

In relation to a post asking whether the lecturers actually deserve such a huge raise I agree that they don't do enough!

I've basically taught myself this year, as have more or less all the people in my group. I'm not a person who can really learn from lectures as its in one ear and out the other...so I thought maybe in seminars I would be able to get more information, but basically the teachers did nothing in these either! I realise its not true of all lecturers but the majority who I've come across in the first year look like they have a pretty nice job, obviously some work will be done behind the scenes so to speak but I think they have it rather comfortable compared with other professions.

25% is a ridiculous rise, apparently they've been offered 13.6% (according to my uni) and refused that....also regarding the marks situation, until they're actually marked I believe we all move on to the 2nd year on predicted grades...although I'm not aware we've had any! So I assume everyone would go through to the 2nd year on this basis.

hanspam

We were told that the AUT have admitted 25% was a bargaining tool, and they're actually looking for something between 12-14%, but in real terms - once inflation's been taken into account, I think. So, the 13% offer would have worked out at 11%, or something like that.

Sorry if the maths is wrong, just had an exam and my brain's addled!

melancholly

just thought i should add that the main job of lecturers is doing research.... so although the time spent giving lectures isn't much, most of their research work gets done over the summer when they can have full weeks without distractions. and from my experience of 3 univeristies, the pressure to get research done to get good ratings in the RAE is high, and people can't afford to do nothing or they wouldn't be able to stay in their job.

we've had a long discussion on this board about the rigths and wrongs of the strikes.... it's just worth mentioning that with universities taking in more students now that the government wants 50% to go and with students paying fees now, therefore income increasing overall, lecturers have more work to do, and universities have more money, but none of it goes towards teaching!

it's a really really bad situation for students.... it's slightly bizarre that the universities (whose chancellors, accountants etc all earn a hell of a lot more than the lecturers!) haven't really done much negotiation. a lot of lecturers seem to see this as a last stand - if they back down now, they wll never be taken seriously, and the universities didn't really think they'd upset exams.....

the 12.6% pay offer may sound quite generous, but it's over 3 years - now if inflation is 2/2.5%, in actual real terms that's really about a 5% increase..... so suddenly it doesn't look so good.

the most scary statistic that i found is that trainee accountants (staright out of university) have a starting salary greater than junior lecturers who might have a batchelors degree, a masters, a PhD and 2 years of postdoc placements already (9 years of qualifications!).


i think anyone who objects (and i fully understand why students do - i would be going mad right now!) should complain to the NUS - the NUS supports the strike and that is probably the best place to start objecting.

chocshake

My university ain't marking my papers either, they've told us we just won't graduate until the lecturers submit our marks, which sucks. everyone here is really demotivated and upset. I was sympathtic (up to a point) until they recieved the 12.6% pay rise offer over three years. How can that not be enough?! its more than inflation beating.....

heard on the news that they want it bought in line with professional pay (like doctors) but if they want that kind of money they should be working that hard! on the strike day they had in March one of my lecturers told us how she spent the whole day wactching day time TV, could even be bother to man the picket line!!!! :mad:

it's so furstrating, after all this time and effort, if there was an ending in sight it would be better, but this could go on for a long time and what are us people who are meant to be graduating meant to do?

linzibean

I just feel sick that all the work I've done for exams and dissertation will be for !!!!!! all if they don't mark them in time for my graduation. I have an exam on tuesday that's 8 hours, and if that counts for nothing.... man am I going to be mad.

Stressed? Me? Never.........

jr666

melancholly wrote:

most of their research work gets done over the summer when they can have full weeks without distractions.

might i remind you that without us 'distractions' you wouldn't even have a job, you too were once a 'distraction'.

I'm sorry but i supported the lecturers up until they rejected the 12.8%, asking for more on top of that is not only selfish but is only going to anger the people very people your job depends on, students.

If you'd rather be doing research all the time then there are plenty of research positions availiable in 'industry' where you will never have to deal with us 'distractions' again.

surfcat

ffeindadifyr wrote:

If I'm correct I think I read on the AUT website that PhD viva examinations weren't affected by the strike action. You can alway check this by sending an email ti the AUT. I suggest you all read the AUT website as the Universities are not clearly stating what is included in this strike action that was started A LONG TIME before the exams, but the UNi's only started talking to the unions just a week before the exams.

I can state with certainty that this is not the case, having been told 4 months after submission that one of my examiners was on strike. All sorted now and viva done, but bloddy nerve wracking.