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July 2022: national outrage at Principal

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July 2022: national outrage at Principal

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Within days, more than 2000 people sign an open letter denouncing the Principal's threats and defending the Film department.

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20 July 2022: punitive deductions implemented

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20 July 2022: punitive deductions implemented

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QMUL HR pushed through payslips with "£0.00", deducted from colleagues who were on compassionate leave during the period deducted for, from colleagues who kept entire Schools running, etc. Leaving many with little income during a living cost crisis.

On the same day, students also got unwelcome communication.

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The punitive deductions machine in action: QMUL HR has pushed through payslips for July that show little humanity.

A 🧵of QMUL staff realities:

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The punitive deductions machine in action: QMUL HR has pushed through payslips for July that show little humanity.

A 🧵of QMUL staff realities: https://t.co/QBCgxp4Bt4

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The punitive deductions machine in action: QMUL HR has pushed through payslips for July that show little humanity.

A 🧵of QMUL staff realities: pic.twitter.com/QBCgxp4Bt4
— Queen Mary UCU is on a marking boycott (@qm_ucu) July 21, 2022

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The punitive deductions machine in action: QMUL HR has pushed through payslips for July that show little humanity.

A 🧵of QMUL staff realities: https://t.co/QBCgxp4Bt4

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.original_text
The punitive deductions machine in action: QMUL HR has pushed through payslips for July that show little humanity.

A 🧵of QMUL staff realities: https://t.co/QBCgxp4Bt4

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The punitive deductions machine in action: QMUL HR has pushed through payslips for July that show little humanity.

A 🧵of QMUL staff realities:

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18 May 2022: Students speak out against the marking mill

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18 May 2022: Students speak out against the marking mill

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Within hours of the news breaking that management was planning to outsource marking to an offshore agency, over 150 students signed an open letter denouncing the plans and defending research-led teaching: "We signed up for and paid our fees towards a research-led degree, provided by experts and quality-assured by UK Higher education."

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31 May 2022: Students demand a negotiated resolution

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31 May 2022: Students demand a negotiated resolution

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In the light of the damage to QMUL's reputation and to their own degrees, students sign an open letter demanding good faith negotiations.

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4 February 2022: students respond to misinformation

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4 February 2022: students respond to misinformation

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Faced with emails that villanise their teachers and seem to suggest students should not join picket lines in solidarity, students speak out and speak up for staff.

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20 July 2022: non-finalists are forcefully progressed

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20 July 2022: non-finalists are forcefully progressed

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On the date management had given for the postponed release of marks,  first- and second-years are informed they have been forcefully progressed with modules still without marks. Students do not have their overall grade, cannot appeal their grades, nor are they given a timeline of when they will have certainty. Their concerns are brushed aside with the note to just wait...

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14 July: Official marks released for finalists

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14 July: Official marks released for finalists

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Management's destruction of the integrity of the QMUL degree has resulted in marks for most finalists by the set date of the release of official results. First-years, second-years, and graduate students are given the arbitrary date of 20 July when their marks would be released. Management knows but does not communicate that it does not have the marks for thousands of students, nor does take any constructive action to obtain them.

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Degree Exam Boards go ahead on the dates planned. Their task is to provide Quality Assurance across the disciplines, and they rubber stamped progression and graduation with missing marks for thousands of students, no moderation, and diminished External Examining, it is questionable they fulfilled their task to the best of their ability.

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1 July 2022: Colin Bailey threatens to shut down an entire course

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1 July 2022: Colin Bailey threatens to shut down an entire course

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As he failed to get the marks by other means, the Principal sent a scathing email to the Film department threatening to stop student recruitment (and thus staff jobs and education of current students) in retaliation. From his iPhone.

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📣📣 BREAKING NEWS: This is @QMUL Principal Colin Bailey's idea of good management. Threats to close down flourishing courses if staff don't end their democratically agreed and lawful industrial action. Staff in Film have responded clearly - hands off our department! https://t.co/KF4nU8Cwd3 https://t.co/NIdwPGicut

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📣📣 BREAKING NEWS: This is @QMUL Principal Colin Bailey's idea of good management. Threats to close down flourishing courses if staff don't end their democratically agreed and lawful industrial action. Staff in Film have responded clearly - hands off our department! https://t.co/KF4nU8Cwd3 https://t.co/NIdwPGicut

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🚨 BREAKING: Rogue @QMUL Principal Colin Bailey is threatening to shut down Film degree programmes to punish staff for industrial action. 

QMUL managers were already planning to withhold 100% pay for 42 days from staff taking part in the marking boycott.
https://t.co/anNfhzgm2L

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QMUL threatens to close courses to punish staff for industrial action

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UCU today said that Queen Mary, University of London (QMUL) has cemented its status as one of the most vindictive' and 'anti-worker' employers in the country, after QMUL Principal Colin Bailey escalated his attempts to smash UCU's marking boycott.

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📣📣 BREAKING NEWS: This is @QMUL Principal Colin Bailey's idea of good management. Threats to close down flourishing courses if staff don't end their democratically agreed and lawful industrial action. Staff in Film have responded clearly - hands off our department! https://t.co/NIdwPGicut pic.twitter.com/KF4nU8Cwd3
— Queen Mary UCU is on a marking boycott (@qm_ucu) July 6, 2022

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📣📣 BREAKING NEWS: This is @QMUL Principal Colin Bailey's idea of good management. Threats to close down flourishing courses if staff don't end their democratically agreed and lawful industrial action. Staff in Film have responded clearly - hands off our department! https://t.co/KF4nU8Cwd3 https://t.co/NIdwPGicut

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QMUL threatens to close courses to punish staff for industrial action

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UCU today said that Queen Mary, University of London (QMUL) has cemented its status as one of the most vindictive' and 'anti-worker' employers in the country, after QMUL Principal Colin Bailey escalated his attempts to smash UCU's marking boycott.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props_source.includes.tweets[].text
🚨 BREAKING: Rogue @QMUL Principal Colin Bailey is threatening to shut down Film degree programmes to punish staff for industrial action. 

QMUL managers were already planning to withhold 100% pay for 42 days from staff taking part in the marking boycott.
https://t.co/anNfhzgm2L

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.original_text
📣📣 BREAKING NEWS: This is @QMUL Principal Colin Bailey's idea of good management. Threats to close down flourishing courses if staff don't end their democratically agreed and lawful industrial action. Staff in Film have responded clearly - hands off our department! https://t.co/KF4nU8Cwd3 https://t.co/NIdwPGicut

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.text
📣📣 BREAKING NEWS: This is @QMUL Principal Colin Bailey's idea of good management. Threats to close down flourishing courses if staff don't end their democratically agreed and lawful industrial action. Staff in Film have responded clearly - hands off our department! https://t.co/KF4nU8Cwd3 https://t.co/NIdwPGicut

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.referenced_tweets[].entities.urls[].title
QMUL threatens to close courses to punish staff for industrial action

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.referenced_tweets[].entities.urls[].description
UCU today said that Queen Mary, University of London (QMUL) has cemented its status as one of the most vindictive' and 'anti-worker' employers in the country, after QMUL Principal Colin Bailey escalated his attempts to smash UCU's marking boycott.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.referenced_tweets[].text
🚨 BREAKING: Rogue @QMUL Principal Colin Bailey is threatening to shut down Film degree programmes to punish staff for industrial action. 

QMUL managers were already planning to withhold 100% pay for 42 days from staff taking part in the marking boycott.
https://t.co/anNfhzgm2L

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30 June 2022: 42 days of 100% deductions announced

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30 June 2022: 42 days of 100% deductions announced

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Management confirms it will go ahead on deducting 100% pay for 42 days for participation in the marking boycott, even though staff have fulfilled all other contracted duties, and even if no marker would have marked for 42 days on end. The timing of the announcement seems to be in an effort to force the release of marks ahead of Degree Exam Boards.

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Achieving the unthinkable? Opening the doors of opportunity? Amid the biggest cost-of-living crisis in a generation, @QMUL senior management have decided to impose 42 DAYS of pay deductions on staff in the marking boycott. We will not be starved back to work. You can help us win.

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Achieving the unthinkable? Opening the doors of opportunity? Amid the biggest cost-of-living crisis in a generation, @QMUL senior management have decided to impose 42 DAYS of pay deductions on staff in the marking boycott. We will not be starved back to work. You can help us win. https://t.co/nH9BonRoKw

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Achieving the unthinkable? Opening the doors of opportunity? Amid the biggest cost-of-living crisis in a generation, @QMUL senior management have decided to impose 42 DAYS of pay deductions on staff in the marking boycott. We will not be starved back to work. You can help us win. pic.twitter.com/nH9BonRoKw
— Queen Mary UCU is on a marking boycott (@qm_ucu) June 30, 2022

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props_source.data.text
Achieving the unthinkable? Opening the doors of opportunity? Amid the biggest cost-of-living crisis in a generation, @QMUL senior management have decided to impose 42 DAYS of pay deductions on staff in the marking boycott. We will not be starved back to work. You can help us win. https://t.co/nH9BonRoKw

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.original_text
Achieving the unthinkable? Opening the doors of opportunity? Amid the biggest cost-of-living crisis in a generation, @QMUL senior management have decided to impose 42 DAYS of pay deductions on staff in the marking boycott. We will not be starved back to work. You can help us win. https://t.co/nH9BonRoKw

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.text
Achieving the unthinkable? Opening the doors of opportunity? Amid the biggest cost-of-living crisis in a generation, @QMUL senior management have decided to impose 42 DAYS of pay deductions on staff in the marking boycott. We will not be starved back to work. You can help us win.

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Subject Exam Boards go ahead on the dates they were meant to go ahead, though not as planned. There are only few External Examiners, given the mass resignations; There has been no thorough moderation in advance of the Subject Exam Board; And the boards sign off on many empty mark sheets.

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15 June 2022: original deadline for marks

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15 June 2022: original deadline for marks

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15 June 2022 would have been the deadline for all marks to be entered centrally. By this date the initial marker would have marked the assignment, a moderator would have moderated the module, and the two would have discussed the marks, feedback, teaching, and especially the borderline marks. For thousands of QMUL students, this did not happen.

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June 2022: students receive one-word feedback & copy-pasted feedback

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June 2022: students receive one-word feedback & copy-pasted feedback

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In an effort to break the boycott and avoid negotiating in good faith, hired hands are brought in to mark vast numbers of assignments at short notice and with little expertise or experience of the module, let alone knowledge of the individual students. The results are to be expected, if still shocking.

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The uni was rumoured to hire Australian consultancy workers for grading during marking boycott

Screenshots have been circulating online of students at Queen Mary, University of London (QMUL) allegedly being given "inexpert, outsourced marks." And students have found personal experiences of this "absolutely devastating."

This comes during a staff marking boycott and after the Russell Group uni was rumoured to bring in Australian consultancy workers as "strike busters."

The uni has called the screenshots "mis-information" and insists "the small number of students impacted by the industrial action that their work is being assessed rigorously and their marks will be a true reflection of the quality of their performance."

The University and College Union branch at QMUL (QMUCU) has been tweeting screenshots from the uni's internal marking and feedback system called "QMplus."

These seem to show feedback, which QMUCU claims to be by external markers, that doesn't correspond with the grades and seem to have been copy-and-pasted for different students.

By monitoring when and how many marks and feedback are uploaded onto QMplus, the union also estimated that it thinks outsourced markers have graded "half a million words in three days." They think this speed is unreasonable and "must have set a record of sorts."

Jordan*, a BSc Accounting and Management finalist at QMUL's business school, has personally experienced drastic differences between their professor and an external marker.

For one of their courses, they said their original professor "has a different view on how essays are to be written" and marks in a way that allows for a "space for many different opinions" and "the best educational experience." But they were surprised to be marked totally differently by an external worker for their official grade.

For example, they said their professor "likes a conclusion that has a personal point of view, rather than just regurgitating evidence from other scholars." And during an informal feedback before the boycott, they were specifically praised for their "creativity and personal opinion."

But they were "appalled" to find out that they were marked down on exactly this by an external marker after the boycott started.

Also, while they receive feedback from their professor that's "personal, detailed and designed to help us improve," they found the external marker's feedback to be "extremely generic, using the same exact comments for every student."

Jordan told the London Tab: "This feedback is all the evidence needed to prove that the marker did not have an understanding of the scope of the course, and failed to fully comprehend the topic. This also shows that the markers used completely different criteria whilst grading our papers.

"This experience is absolutely devastating to me, especially as an international student who was promised a high standard of education. To be unfairly marked for my hard work is extremely disappointing as it points towards the fact that our university's top management does not prioritise our standard of education, but instead cutting costs," they said.

Alex*, another final-year accounting student at QMUL, also said: "By hiring an incompetent marker QMUL has devalued my degree, as feedback and grading do not reflect my performance. I won't feel proud when it comes to receiving my degree as it won't reflect my real hard work."

Speaking to the London Tab, union staff estimated that "1,300 students have already had inexpert, outsourced marks provided within the School of Business and Management alone.

"The number of students affected by the boycott itself varies across the university but is up to 100 per cent in some Schools. Students across all three Faculties (Humanities and Social Sciences; Science and Engineering; Medicine and Dentistry) are affected," they claimed.

They said they're willing to drop the action "if a satisfactory agreement is reached" but claims the uni is opting to hire replacement markers "instead of negotiating in good faith."

"Academic staff take great care in giving feedback. Replacement marking risks students' hard-earned marks, undermines academic standards, and devalues QMUL degrees.

"To students: your views on this are important. If you do not want your work to be marked by someone without appropriate expertise and familiarity, it is important that you make that clear ASAP," they said.

In response, a QMUL spokesperson told the London Tab: "We are disappointed to be facing national industrial action once again. However, this affects only a very small number of our teaching programmes; less than two per cent of our staff have taken strike action so far, and a large proportion of our 32,000 students remain unaffected.

"We do not recognise the information in these screenshots. Students' marks have not as yet been through our quality assurance processes. It is unfortunate that mis-information is being circulated in this way.

"We have already assured the small number of students impacted by the industrial action that their work is being assessed rigorously and their marks will be a true reflection of the quality of their performance."
*Names changed to preserve anonymity
Related stories recommended by this writer:

* Russell Group uni is 'considering using external staff' for marking during staff boycott

* Students at five London unis might not graduate as marking boycotts go ahead on Monday

* Goldsmiths warden claimed nearly £20k for taxi money over a two year period

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Queen Mary students 'appalled' by 'incompetent' outsourced marking

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The uni was rumoured to hire Australian consultancy workers for grading during marking boycott Screenshots have been circulating online of students at Queen Mary, University of London (QMUL) allegedly being given "inexpert, outsourced marks." And students have found personal experiences of this "absolutely devastating."

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Dear students,

More strikes are taking place at QMUL on 5-6 May, 9-13 May and 16-18 May. These are happening only at our university , as a last resort because of how poorly QMUL management is treating their own staff and students. For months staff and students have requested negotiations with the Principal, but have been ignored. Management has chosen not to not to meet with staff to negotiate an end to the dispute and avoid this further disruption. As you know, Queen Mary's Principal is an outlier in UK Higher Education in threatening 100% deductions for not rescheduling teaching. Far from mitigating the impact of the national strikes on students, that threat is now causing 10 more days of strike that only affect Queen Mary.

Rather than changing the punitive policy that caused this further disruption, the Senior Executive team is doubling down. QMUL's Senior Executive Team is misleadingly claiming that 'all teaching has been made up'. In alleging this, they prevent you from applying for partial refunds of tuition fees. Moreover, they will demand other staff, likely non-specialist staff, cover the marking of striking staff. In short, the Senior Executive Team is willing to risk your grades at the hands of people who do not know what you have been taught or what the requirements for your assessments are. That is on top of the resignations of the quality controllers who are needed to officially ratify your degrees, the External Examiners. The actions of the Senior Executive Team are directly worsening your learning conditions and the value of your degree.

We, your teachers and professional services staff, want to continue to put the interest of students first, as we have tried to do throughout this dispute. While a volatile situation, we will continue to communicate with you, and outline here:

1. What a marking boycott will affect

2. How we will continue to support you

3. What is in your power (to shape the direction of QMUL)

1. What a marking boycott will affect

A marking boycott delays delivery of grades and graduation:

Staff participating in the boycott will temporarily not release marks on QMPlus. This is a delay, not a cancellation; marks will be released after the Principal joins negotiations in good faith and makes a reasonable offer.

Staff will not participate in exam boards. Exam boards are already in jeopardy because the Principal has alienated External Examiners with his punitive stance. Many have resigned in protest. External Examiners are needed to ratify students' grades (and therefore degrees). The Principal's actions have undermined quality control and risk devaluing your degree.

This may delay graduation.

2. How we will continue to support you

We will support students taking up offers for postgraduate studies. If Admissions Offices require assurance that you have attained the required grade, we can assure them. If funding bodies require proof of final assessments, we can provide proof. The UK Higher Education sector knows that disruptions because of the dispute have affected students. They will be understanding and we will be communicative.

We will support students in job applications, writing references and indicating past and projected performance. You can email your tutors and advisors for reference letters, transcripts, etc.

International students on time-sensitive visas will be fully supported. QMUL Global Engagement Office knows there is a strike and boycott and can communicate that.

Oral and practical exams will go ahead. (Post-graduate) students will have their scheduled vivas.

This is a marking boycott, not a learning boycott. Teachers can provide informal feedback on penultimate assignments to support students preparing for their final assignment.

3. What is in your power

Students can change the direction of this dispute. The Senior Executive Team are choosing not to limit disruption. You can convince them to listen to the needs of staff and students and ensure QMUL becomes a fairer working and learning environment. There are several related routes you can take:

Write to QMUL's governing body, Council, which is the heart of QMUL governance. The Senior Executive Team is responsible to Council. So far Council have not been given an accurate picture by the Senior Executive Team of what is happening at QMUL. So on 31 March, students blockaded the entrance to a Council meeting to tell them the truth about what's going on and demand a different kind of university. QMUL called the police on them. You can also make sure Council members learn the truth by writing to them in advance of their two-day getaway on 19-20 May. There is a template with their email addresses here. Personalise it! But make sure to demand management retracts their false statements that 'all teaching has been made up' - that claim prevents you from applying for a partial refund of tuition fees.

You should have been able to apply for a partial refund here, but because the Principal claims 'all teaching has been made up' (exactly the phrase used in the Office for Students' November communication), the watchdog does not recognise a disruption in your studies. So you need to (1) demand from Council that Senior Executive Team retract those untruthful statements and (2) alert the Office for Students in a 'Notification' that the teaching at Queen Mary has been disrupted.

You can raise a Notification with the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS is the regulatory body for UK Higher Education and relies on students raising concerns (as well as regular reporting by university governing bodies) to address issues with the student experience. A formal complaint is a lengthy process, but a 'Notification' makes OfS aware that the QMUL Senior Executive Team has, whatever their claims, allowed disruption to students' education and is jeopardising students' graduation. There is more information about OfS' Notifications and a sample template for you to use here.

Stay in touch

There will be further communications to address the particular situation in your School. We will keep you informed by emails and town halls (meetings you can attend to ask any questions, and raise any concerns). The Principal has created a volatile situation by threatening to deduct 100% of staff pay if we work for the time we are contracted to work for (and not beyond this, as we normally do). We want to keep you in the loop and continue to work with students to build a university that is supportive of everyone.

You can reach out to us to discuss concerns and plans. You can find the QMUL UCU union branch on twitter (@qm_ucu), instagram (@qm_ucu), or via contact@qmucu.org. QMUL Community Solidarity has a helpful overview of student support and demands, here. You can find them on twitter (​​@qmul_cs), instagram (@qmul_cs), and email ( qmulcommunitysolidarity@gmail.com).

We hope that with your help the Senior Executive Team will de-escalate so that together with management we can improve your learning conditions and our working conditions.

In solidarity,

Your teachers and professional services staff

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Letter to students on strike action and marking & assessment boycott

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Dear students, More strikes are taking place at QMUL on 5-6 May, 9-13 May and 16-18 May. These are happening only at our university, as a last resort because of how poorly QMUL management is treating their own staff and students. For months staff and students have requested negotiations with the Principal, but have been...

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18 May 2022: sidelining External Examiners

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18 May 2022: sidelining External Examiners

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The Education Quality & Standards Board drastically reduces the role of external examiners. External Examiners are experts from other universities to provide Quality Assurance of the education and assessment. They had resigned en masse in response to management's punitive deductions. So management changes the rules: only few are now needed, and their role is merely rubber stamping.

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Students succeed in getting the Office for Students’ Notice. The regulatory body of UK Higher Education enquires into the response of Management to Industrial Action, the impact this response has had on students, and the gaps in communication.

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Congratulations! It’s a(n) @officestudents enquiry 👶🎉🎉

(A mini thread on student success & CB being put in the hot seat 1/6)

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Congratulations! It’s a(n) @officestudents enquiry 👶🎉🎉

(A mini thread on student success & CB being put in the hot seat 1/6) https://t.co/Mi0Id9zNur

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Congratulations! It’s a(n) @officestudents enquiry 👶🎉🎉

(A mini thread on student success & CB being put in the hot seat 1/6) pic.twitter.com/Mi0Id9zNur
— QMUL Community Solidarity (@qmul_cs) May 31, 2022

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Congratulations! It’s a(n) @officestudents enquiry 👶🎉🎉

(A mini thread on student success & CB being put in the hot seat 1/6) https://t.co/Mi0Id9zNur

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Congratulations! It’s a(n) @officestudents enquiry 👶🎉🎉

(A mini thread on student success & CB being put in the hot seat 1/6) https://t.co/Mi0Id9zNur

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Congratulations! It’s a(n) @officestudents enquiry 👶🎉🎉

(A mini thread on student success & CB being put in the hot seat 1/6)

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Management considers hiring Australian agency Curio to do the marking for the modules where teachers are not releasing marks. This would fundamentally break the relation between education and assessment, and plummet the reputation of the QMUL degree.

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BREAKING: We have learned that @QMUL management is considering using external staff from Curio, an Australian Higher Education consultancy @curio_group, to try to break our marking boycott and grade student essays. A 🧵 on #TheCuriosCase: 1/13

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BREAKING: We have learned that @QMUL management is considering using external staff from Curio, an Australian Higher Education consultancy @curio_group, to try to break our marking boycott and grade student essays. A 🧵 on #TheCuriosCase: 1/13

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BREAKING: We have learned that @QMUL management is considering using external staff from Curio, an Australian Higher Education consultancy @curio_group, to try to break our marking boycott and grade student essays. A 🧵 on #TheCuriosCase: 1/13
— Queen Mary UCU is on a marking boycott (@qm_ucu) May 19, 2022

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BREAKING: We have learned that @QMUL management is considering using external staff from Curio, an Australian Higher Education consultancy @curio_group, to try to break our marking boycott and grade student essays. A 🧵 on #TheCuriosCase: 1/13

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.original_text
BREAKING: We have learned that @QMUL management is considering using external staff from Curio, an Australian Higher Education consultancy @curio_group, to try to break our marking boycott and grade student essays. A 🧵 on #TheCuriosCase: 1/13

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.text
BREAKING: We have learned that @QMUL management is considering using external staff from Curio, an Australian Higher Education consultancy @curio_group, to try to break our marking boycott and grade student essays. A 🧵 on #TheCuriosCase: 1/13

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This industrial action is unique to QMUL, students at other universities are not affected by it. It is in direct response to the punitive deductions.
5th-6th May

9th-13th May

16th-18th May

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These local strike days are a direct response to the punitive deductions for not rescheduling withdrawn labour. Management could avoid these strike days (and thus ensure release of some marks ahead of the boycott) by officially withdrawing the policy. They chose not to.

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A packed branch meeting of over 160 members gathered today to take the final decision about whether to go ahead with the local industrial action. The votes from the meeting have now been tallied, and a clear majority voted in favour of proceeding. 71% voted for the action, 21% were against, and 8% abstained.

What does this mean?

This means that there will be a strike at Queen Mary on the following days:

5th-6th May
9th-13th May
16th-18th May

Once the strike action has concluded, action short of a strike in the form of a marking and assessment boycott will commence from 19th May.

Why is this happening?

This action is being taken because management has refused to provide a commitment not to deduct 100% of pay for action short of a strike in the USS and Four Fights disputes. If management provides this commitment, which will cost them nothing, the dispute will end immediately and the action will be called off. The disruption is entirely of their choosing

Queen Mary UCU recently learned that senior management has told Heads of School they will implement 100% pay docking during the forthcoming marking boycott, which suggests they want to continue with their hardline approach.

But the question for senior management is now: are they so determined to dock your pay that they would prefer to see 10 days of strike action right in the middle of the examination period?

If they do not withdraw their threat, staff and students will rightly conclude that senior management cannot have the best interests of the university in mind.

How should I observe the strike and marking boycott?

QMUCU has prepared guidance on observing the strikes and the marking boycott which has been posted to our website. This guidance will be updated as the situation develops and the marking boycott approaches.

If you are scheduled to mark, moderate, set, or help administer assessments on any of the strike days, you should not work at all on those days. No one, whether marking or not, should participate in the collective administrative life of the university. You should not attend, for example, departmental meetings or research events at the university, even remotely. You should not teach on these days. If you would not have been doing any of the above activities, contact a local rep or the branch for further advice on how best to participate in the strike.

Because exam term is a stressful period for students and campus is generally much quieter at this time anyway, in-person pickets will not operate on strike days in May. Instead, a series of online events will be held to help organise the action. The following events are planned for the first two days, with further details and speakers to be confirmed shortly:

Thursday 5th May, 11am - What is a marking boycott?
This online event will discuss what a marking boycott entails and discuss some recent successful examples. The session will focus on practical guidance and planning.

Friday 6th May, [4.15pm]: UCU's national democratic structures
At this online event, our two speakers, Rachel Cohen (City) and Simon Pek (U Victoria), will discuss the democratic structures of your union, explaining what they are and how they operate. They will also discuss possible reforms.

In addition to these branch events, local events will be held in departments to help build the action. Look out for a communication from reps in your area.

What should I tell my students?

Student support for the action will be crucial. They need to hear from supportive staff about why the action is happening, how it will impact them, and why they should support it. The key messages for students are:

The industrial action is only happening because of avoidable choices made by management.

This is a marking boycott, not a learning boycott. On non-strike days, staff will be able to offer informal feedback and support with applications for jobs and further study.

Management attempts to mitigate the action (by, for example, suspending regulations or finding other staff to mark their work) risk devaluing their degree.

Template communication materials for students emphasising these messages are available through our website. These will be updated and supplemented regularly.

This is a crucial time in the local and national disputes. Look out for further information and meeting invitations soon!

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QMUCU members vote to take 10 days of strike action from Thursday 5 May

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A packed branch meeting of over 160 members gathered today to take the final decision about whether to go ahead with the local industrial action. The votes from the meeting have now been tallied, and a clear majority voted in favour of proceeding. 71% voted for the action, 21% were against, and 8% abstained.

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26 April: national Marking Boycott announced

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26 April: national Marking Boycott announced

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A national Marking Boycott is announced. Once again management has a chance to avoid this disruption and the uncertainty about graduation and progression it will entail. Once again, management choses to escalate rather than negotiate.

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The decision was made by university staff at a meeting of UCU's special higher education sector conference where hundreds of delegates met from over a hundred branches and committees to decide the next steps in the pay and working conditions dispute. As well as a marking and assessment boycott, delegates also voted to hit 39 universities with a further ten days of strike action.

The union's higher education committee will now meet on Thursday 12 May to decide the exact dates that the marking and assessment boycott and strike action will take place.

Earlier this month, 85.9% of university staff who voted backed taking industrial action which would include a marking and assessment boycott. The marking and assessment boycott will see staff refusing to complete any marking and assessment of students' work, meaning students could be left without grades with some unable to graduate.

The move represents an escalation in the pay and working conditions dispute in which staff have already taken 13 days of strike action. Vice chancellors, represented by Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), have so far refused to make any improved offers.

New inflation figures mean UCU estimates staff pay is now down by more than a quarter in real terms since 2009. Over 70k academics are employed on insecure contracts. The gender pay gap in UK universities sits at 16%, whilst the disability pay gap is 9% and the race pay gap is up to 17%.

UCU is demanding a £2.5k pay rise for all university employees; an end to race, gender and disability pay injustice; a framework to eliminate zero-hours and other insecure contracts; and meaningful action to tackle unmanageable workloads.

The union thanked students for the support they have shown so far during the long running dispute and called on university bosses to meet its demands so that disruption is minimised.

In a recent survey of UK higher education staff, two thirds said they were considering leaving the sector over pay and working conditions, and cuts to pensions.

The most recently published vice chancellor salaries show university bosses earn around £278k, almost ten times more than entry level academic or academic related professional staff.

Recent university finance figures show total income across the sector is £41.9bn with reserves of £46.8bn.

Tomorrow another special higher education sector conference meets to decide next steps in the Universities Superannuation Scheme dispute, which is over brutal cuts to member pensions.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'The decision taken by our members to escalate the pay and working conditions dispute to a marking and assessment boycott reflects their justifiable anger at university vice chancellors who continue to ignore their concerns whilst drawing over-inflated salaries and hoarding billions in reserves.

'University staff have been clear that many simply cannot contemplate staying in higher education whilst wages fall, workloads rise, and nothing is done to address the rampant use of insecure contracts or shocking equality failings. Vice chancellors should be ashamed of this record, but rather than solve this dispute they have become more intransigent than ever. Students and staff alike deserve so much better.

'The union's full weight is behind every member who is taking this action on behalf of all university staff and students, which is the only way to secure the long term future of the sector.'

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Universities to be hit by marking boycott, union confirms

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The decision was made by university staff at a meeting of UCU's special higher education sector conference where hundreds of delegates met from over a hundred branches and committees to decide the next steps in the pay and working conditions dispute.

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Law Firm Leigh Day issues a letter challenging the lawfulness of the punitive deductions.

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Queen Mary University staff in pay cut threat for ASOS days | Leigh Day

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Queen Mary University lecturers say they will launch a legal case if they lose 100pc pay for industrial action short of a strike (ASOS) in February and March.

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Eulogy contracted for reputation campaigns for Queen Mary. There is no money for staff, but there is money for agencies to run PR campaigns to salvage a reputation tanked by management.

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LONDON -Independent communications agency Eulogy has been appointed by Queen Mary University of London to devise and deliver the University's brand awareness and reputation campaigns across the UK and key international markets.

The university, part of the Russell Group of 24 universities, which have a strong focus on public research, appointed the agency following a formal tender process.

Eulogy is responsible for crafting a multi-year strategy and framework which supports the university's long-term ambition of being "the most inclusive university of its kind" by 2030.

As well as basing campaigns on existing university activity, as well as devising a programme of new activities to engage education, student, research and government audiences and position the institution as one of the world's leading universities.

Like all higher education institutions in the UK, Queen Mary faces a number of challenges, including international competition and falling numbers of overseas students as a result of the pandemic and Brexit.

Queen Mary's director of marketing and communications, Dr Maggie Leggett, said: "As a Russell Group University, we are recognised among our peers for real excellence in research and teaching, coupled with an unrivalled commitment to inclusion. We want to ensure everyone has heard the compelling Queen Mary story, as ensuring that our reputation is commensurate with our quality is an important enabler for our strategic goals. Eulogy's appointment as our communications agency is a crucial part of addressing this challenge."

Eulogy CEO Elisabeth Field added:"In researching the opportunity for Queen Mary University of London we felt we were unwrapping a prized gift. The more we discovered - from its phenomenal heritage and its leading research and teaching, to its enviable diversity and inclusion strategy - the more obvious it became that it has been punching under its weight for too long. Our task is to understand the challenges and opportunities before it and to create a compelling strategy and communications campaign that lifts it above the mainstream, shining a light on its excellence, its innovation and its potential."

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Top University Appoints Eulogy For Global Brand Campaign

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LONDON -Independent communications agency Eulogy has been appointed by Queen Mary University of London to devise and deliver the University's brand awareness and reputation campaigns across the UK and key international markets. The university, part of the Russell Group of 24 universities, which have a strong focus on public research, appointed the agency following a formal tender process.

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31 March: Colin calls the cops on students

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31 March: Colin calls the cops on students

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Students try to make their voice heard by peacefully protesting outside the QMUL Council meeting. Instead of talking or even listening to their attempts to tell him about the reality of the disruption to their teaching, the Principal calls the police on his own students.

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.@QMUL SECURITY HAVE CALLED THE POLICE ON QM STUDENTS AND HAVE ALREADY THREATENED STUDENTS WITH ARREST

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.@QMUL SECURITY HAVE CALLED THE POLICE ON QM STUDENTS AND HAVE ALREADY THREATENED STUDENTS WITH ARREST https://t.co/6DMlJBk9bJ

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Here are the demands of QMUL Community Solidarity for the @QMUL SMT & Council.
Our non-reformist reforms call for a demarketised, democratic and decolonised system that works for all of us.
Find the transcript here:
https://t.co/Pk9skuZBQd https://t.co/olZ2wEtFOY

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We are a group of Queen Mary students (undergraduate and postgraduate) who are in alliance with staff at our institution, a university that is built on and only functions due to the work of our teaching staff, service workers, students, East London community members and many of our ancestors too. We oppose the way that Queen Mary Senior Management works to stifle these parts of our institution at all costs, whilst cutting our services, intimidating protest and creating an increasingly hostile environment.

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.@QMUL SECURITY HAVE CALLED THE POLICE ON QM STUDENTS AND HAVE ALREADY THREATENED STUDENTS WITH ARREST pic.twitter.com/6DMlJBk9bJ
— QMUL Community Solidarity (@qmul_cs) March 31, 2022

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.@QMUL SECURITY HAVE CALLED THE POLICE ON QM STUDENTS AND HAVE ALREADY THREATENED STUDENTS WITH ARREST https://t.co/6DMlJBk9bJ

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props_source.includes.tweets[].entities.urls[].description
We are a group of Queen Mary students (undergraduate and postgraduate) who are in alliance with staff at our institution, a university that is built on and only functions due to the work of our teaching staff, service workers, students, East London community members and many of our ancestors too. We oppose the way that Queen Mary Senior Management works to stifle these parts of our institution at all costs, whilst cutting our services, intimidating protest and creating an increasingly hostile environment.

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Here are the demands of QMUL Community Solidarity for the @QMUL SMT & Council.
Our non-reformist reforms call for a demarketised, democratic and decolonised system that works for all of us.
Find the transcript here:
https://t.co/Pk9skuZBQd https://t.co/olZ2wEtFOY

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.original_text
.@QMUL SECURITY HAVE CALLED THE POLICE ON QM STUDENTS AND HAVE ALREADY THREATENED STUDENTS WITH ARREST https://t.co/6DMlJBk9bJ

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.text
.@QMUL SECURITY HAVE CALLED THE POLICE ON QM STUDENTS AND HAVE ALREADY THREATENED STUDENTS WITH ARREST

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.referenced_tweets[].entities.urls[].description
We are a group of Queen Mary students (undergraduate and postgraduate) who are in alliance with staff at our institution, a university that is built on and only functions due to the work of our teaching staff, service workers, students, East London community members and many of our ancestors too. We oppose the way that Queen Mary Senior Management works to stifle these parts of our institution at all costs, whilst cutting our services, intimidating protest and creating an increasingly hostile environment.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.referenced_tweets[].text
Here are the demands of QMUL Community Solidarity for the @QMUL SMT & Council.
Our non-reformist reforms call for a demarketised, democratic and decolonised system that works for all of us.
Find the transcript here:
https://t.co/Pk9skuZBQd https://t.co/olZ2wEtFOY

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March 2022: misinformation about disruption

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March 2022: misinformation about disruption

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Management claims ‘all teaching has been made up’ [voice over: no teaching withdrawn in legal industrial action has, in fact, been rescheduled or otherwise ‘made up’]

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Action short of a strike (ASOS), which includes a marking and assessment boycott, takes place from 19 May to 20 September 2022.

Recent previous strike action took place as follows:

Week 1: 5 days - Monday 14 to Friday 18 February

Week 2: 2 days - Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 February

Week 3: 3 days - Monday 28 February, Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 March

Week 4: 5 days - Monday 28 March to Friday 1 April

Week 5: 2 days - Thursday 5 to Friday 6 May

Week 6: 5 days - Monday 9 to Friday 13 May

Week 7: 3 days - Monday 16 to Wednesday 18 May

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Action short of a strike (ASOS), which includes a marking and assessment boycott, takes place from 19 May to 20 September 2022.

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As part of the national dispute on working and learning conditions, QMUL takes part in five more days of strikes: 28 March - 1 April.

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Meg Hillier MP asks the Department for Education and the Office for Students about the punitive pay deductions by QMUL management during the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee meeting.

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Subject: Financial sustainability of the higher education sector in England

Witness(es): Susan Acland-Hood, Permanent Secretary, Department for Education; Nicola Dandridge, Chief Executive, Office for Students; Anne Spinali, Director for Higher Education Reform and Funding, Department for Education

Subject: Financial sustainability of the higher education sector in England

Witness(es): Susan Acland-Hood, Permanent Secretary, Department for Education; Nicola Dandridge, Chief Executive, Office for Students; Anne Spinali, Director for Higher Education Reform and Funding, Department for Education

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Subject: Financial sustainability of the higher education sector in England Witness(es): Susan Acland-Hood, Permanent Secretary, Department for Education; Nicola Dandridge, Chief Executive, Office for Students; Anne Spinali, Director for Higher Education Reform and Funding, Department for Education Subject: Financial sustainability of the higher education sector in England Witness(es): Susan Acland-Hood, Permanent Secretary, Department for Education; Nicola Dandridge, Chief Executive, Office for Students; Anne Spinali, Director for Higher Education Reform and Funding, Department for Education

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21 March 2022: mandate for action against punitive deductions

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21 March 2022: mandate for action against punitive deductions

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QMUL ucu gets a local mandate to take actions against the punitive deductions. This industrial action only takes place at QMUL. Management can easily avoid this disruption by officially taking away the policy of 100% deductions for not rescheduling withdrawn labour. But it refuses to do so.

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February 2022: External Examiners resign

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February 2022: External Examiners resign

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External Examiners resign en masse. External Examiners are needed for Quality Assurance, they provide confidence in the quality of the QMUL degree in comparison to other degrees. They show no confidence in QMUL management.

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Examiners quit en masse over Queen Mary’s threats to freeze pay

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Tone of threats ‘of a different calibre than before’ says examiner who left her QMUL post

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Members of staff withdraw their labour in an effort to improve working and learning conditions for all in the future.

- USS dispute: 14-18 February & 21-22 February

- Four Fights dispute: 21-22 February & 28 February-2 March

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11 February: enforcing punitive deductions

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11 February: enforcing punitive deductions

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Instead of preventing the upcoming industrial action, management issues guidance to line managers on enforcing the punitive deductions policy.

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Queen Mary has instructed Heads of Schools to deduct 100% of pay for specific activities listed under Action Short of Strike (ASOS). The Senior Executive Team believes that they are well within their rights to refuse partial performance and can 'direct staff to focus on specific contractual activities including activities that prioritise education'. In other words, your employer believes they can ask you to drop all of your other work, including your research, any conferences you might want to attend and/or your sabbatical, and ask you to focus on just delivering the classes that were missed due to the strike action.

Pay will not only be withheld if you refuse to reschedule teaching. Other ASOS activities, including removing any materials related to lectures that will be or have been cancelled due to the strike, will also be considered as partial performance of your contractual work duties. As the guidance states: 'removing online materials from the Queen Mary website or VLE would be a breach of the employment contract and may be an act of misconduct. Pay can be withheld on a continuous basis until the material is uploaded.'

Lastly, it is important to highlight that this guidance does not only provide scope for the disciplining of the striking members of staff. As the guidance outlines: 'staff not participating in strike action or ASOS can be asked to support the prioritisation of rescheduling of work missed due to industrial action, including lectures and any other education activities.' This means non-striking staff can be asked to cover for absent colleagues and to take over their teaching, especially in situations where their striking colleagues refuse to reschedule the lectures that were cancelled due to the strike.

The guidance has little to say about how all of this is going to fit into manageable workloads. It only states that 'some work may have to be delayed, reallocated or reprioritised to ensure staff are not overburdened and maintain a reasonable overall workload'. How this will be possible considering that one of the issues under the Four Fights dispute is workloads has not been clarified in the guidance.

You can read the detailed guidance sent out to Heads of School below.
Guidance for line managers to mitigate the impact of Strike Action and Action Short of a Strike (ASOS) When will Action Short of Strike (ASOS) take place?
UCU has now contacted Queen Mary to issue notice of industrial action in relation to each ballot, and confirmed that from 7th February 2022, the industrial action will be continuous action short of a strike (ASOS) starting on 7 February and 10 days of strike action between 14 February and 2 March.

UCU have a mandate for action for six months. As this point they have not notified an end date for the ASOS within that period.
When will strike action take place?
UCU has provided notification that they intend to take up to 10 days of strike action at 44 institutions in relation to USS pensions, and at 39 institutions in relation to pay and working conditions.

The strikes at Queen Mary are planned as follows:

Week 1 (USS pension dispute only): 5 days; Monday 14 to Friday 18 February

Week 2 (both the pension and the pay & working conditions dispute): 2 days; Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 February

Week 3 (pay & working conditions dispute only): 3 days; Monday 28 February, Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 March

What is Action Short of Strike (ASOS)?
While a strike is a concerted and complete stoppage of work, 'action short of a strike' (ASOS) is action which affects only certain aspects of work.

ASOS will consist of participating UCU members:

working their contracted hours and duties and not volunteering to do more;

not covering for absent colleagues;

removing uploaded materials, and/or not sharing materials, related to lectures or classes that will be or have been cancelled as a result of strike action

not rescheduling lectures or classes cancelled due to strike action.

UCU also obtained a mandate for ASOS consisting of a marking and assessment boycott. However, at this point UCU has not advised us that they will be proceeding with this form of action. The University would need formal notification (14 days) for this form of action to proceed lawfully.
Can staff refuse to carry out any duties under ASOS?
Where staff taking part in ASOS are not ready and willing to fulfil their planned educational activities on time, 100% of pay will be deducted. In these circumstances, any work that the member of staff does undertake will be voluntary.

Where staff are participating only in those forms of ASOS that don't amount to breach of contract (working their contracted hours and duties and not volunteering to do more) then line managers must direct staff to prioritise all planned educational activities. In these circumstances, the University is entitled to direct staff to focus on specific contractual activities including activities that prioritise education.
Will staff be paid as normal if they participate in strike action?
For strike action, the University will withhold 100% of a full day's pay for every day of strike action undertaken. This will be the case whether strike action is for all or part of the day. Staff must advise you if they have participated in strike action on the day they return to work so that appropriate deductions can be made.

The calculation of a day's pay will be based on 1/365th of annual salary
Will staff be paid as normal if they participate in ASOS?
Where participation in ASOS means that a member of staff is not ready and willing to carry out their full contractual duties, this is an offer of partial performance and a breach of contract. Queen Mary does not accept partial performance of employment contracts by its staff. The University will deduct pay for action short of strike (ASOS) where it constitutes a breach of contract.

Where staff taking part in ASOS are not ready and willing to fulfil their planned educational activities on time, 100% of pay will be deducted. The calculation of a day's pay will be based on 1/365th of pro rata annual salary. Any salary deductions for participating in ASOS will be processed as soon as possible, and in full, typically the next pay date.

As the University does not accept any partial performance related to educational activities, any other work which a member of staff carries out during such participation in ASOS is carried out on a voluntary basis and without entitlement to be paid for it.

Once a member of staff confirms to you that they are now ready and willing to carry out their educational activities in full, deductions will stop and they will be expected to complete all work not carried out during participation in ASOS within timescales directed by the Head of School/Institute or their appropriate delegate.
In what circumstances will pay deductions be made for ASOS?
Deductions will be made for the following forms of ASOS, on the basis that they are a breach of contract because a member of staff is not ready and willing to undertake their full contractual duties:

not covering for absent colleagues;

removing uploaded materials, and/or not sharing materials, related to lectures or classes that will be or have been cancelled as a result of strike action

not rescheduling lectures or classes cancelled due to strike action.

Example: If, as a result of their participation in ASOS, a member of staff does not reschedule a lecture cancelled due to their participation in strike action, as directed by and within a time frame specified by the Head of School/Institute or their delegate, the University will withhold a full day's pay for each day until they do so.

Staff who have taken part in strike action but are not taking part in forms of ASOS which amounts to a breach of contract, are expected to work normally, which will include prioritising the duties listed above, together with:

student recruitment, including completing activities that were impacted by strike action;

core activities related to student support, including academic advising, including completing activities that were impacted by strike action;

marking and assessment activities, including completing activities that were impacted by strike action.

How can I ensure that essential duties are covered?
You can ask staff to tell you in advance if they are planning to take strike action, however there is no obligation for them to do so.

During the period of ASOS called by UCU, you can ask colleagues to confirm that they will be working normally, and remain ready and willing to perform their contractual duties in full, in terms of all educational activities, before they are assigned specific work.

If any colleague does not provide this confirmation, they will be considered to be participating in ASOS (until you are satisfied that they are working normally) and pay should be withheld in full for each day until the individual confirms that they are ready and willing to carry out their contractual duties in terms of all educational activities and you are satisfied that they are doing so.

Deductions should be made regardless of whether the work which they are not prepared to carry out, due to their participation in ASOS, is assigned to another member of staff.

Once a member of staff's participation in ASOS has ended, it is reasonable for you to ask them to prioritise the rescheduling of work missed due to industrial action, including lectures and any education activities, and work not carried out during their participation in ASOS. You should direct staff to prioritise this over all other work that they might have otherwise chosen to do (including any research, conferences and any sabbaticals). Compliance with such requests demonstrates that a member of staff is ready and willing to perform their contractual duties in full.

A failure to reschedule and deliver any, and all, cancelled lectures, classes and education activities, or other work as required to support educational activities, will amount to a breach of contract and partial performance resulting in the University deducting a full day's pay until the work is carried out.
How are deductions made?
Members of staff will be asked todeclare when asked if they have participated in strike action and ASOS (and the action taken) so that appropriate deductions can be made.
What is the impact of participating in each of the forms of ASOS that UCU has called for?
With the exception of working to contract and refusing to carry out voluntary duties, all other forms of ASOS called by the UCU are likely to constitute a breach of a contractual commitment, because the member of staff is not willing to perform their contract in full, and will lead to an associated pay deduction.
Working contracted hours and duties and not volunteering to do more:
"Working to contract" means that the staff member is still ready and willing to perform all of their contractual duties in full. If they refuse to do something which is entirely voluntary and non-contractual, there will be no partial performance or breach of contract. However, there will be a breach of contract if they refuse, or are not ready and willing to carry out, something which is required under their contract or they can be reasonably instructed to do under their contract.

Ahead of the commencement of any ASOS, managers should be clear with their staff about their contractual duties, and the current work to be prioritised in the context of each individual's reasonable workload, together with any deadlines.
Not covering for absent colleagues:
If the request is to cover work in an individual's own work area, the work is reasonably within the capability of the member of staff and there is previous practice of staff covering for colleagues in this way, then there is a strong argument that the request to cover would be a lawful, contractual instruction, hence a refusal would be a breach of contract.
Removing uploaded materials, and/or not sharing materials, related to lectures or classes that will be or have been cancelled as a result of strike action:
Removing online materials from the Queen Mary website or VLE would be a breach of the employment contract and may be an act of misconduct. Pay can be withheld on a continuous basis until the material is uploaded.
Not rescheduling and/or conducting lectures, classes or any education activities:
It is reasonable to ask academic staff to prioritise the rescheduling of work missed due to strike action, including lectures. Managers can direct staff to prioritise this over other work that the member of staff might have otherwise chosen to do. A refusal or failure to reschedule the cancelled lectures or classes is considered a breach of contract and partial performance.
Voluntary duties:
An employee undertaking ASOS and working to contract is entitled to refuse to carry out duties above and beyond those contractually required; and a refusal to do work that is genuinely voluntary is not a breach of contract and no pay will be deducted.

Activities which in most cases may be deemed to be 'voluntary' which a member of staff may reasonably decline under ASOS (without loss of pay):

Weekend working

Attending evening events

Attending non-compulsory training sessions

However, it is worth noting that a member of staff may breach their contract if they refuse to undertake duties they would normally participate in, with the intention of disrupting the business of Queen Mary or causing maximum inconvenience. In this context, participation in open days, for example, may be a reasonable expectation.
How do I manage workloads?
Managers need to be mindful that there is no unreasonable expectation for staff to take on a higher volume of work overall to catch up on everything they missed due to industrial action, although some may well do so by choice. Some work may have to be delayed, reallocated or reprioritised to ensure staff are not overburdened and maintain a reasonable overall workload. Managers are entitled to give reasonable instructions on prioritisation of work following participation in strikes or ASOS.
Can I reprioritise the work of staff not taking industrial action?
Staff not participating in strike action or ASOS can be asked to support the prioritisation of rescheduling of work missed due to industrial action, including lectures and any other education activities. Any requests must be reasonable in terms of overall workload, and skill set to be able to support the activity requested. If colleagues have any concerns about requests such as this, all attempts should be made to manage any concerns informally in the first instance.

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The QMUL Senior Executive Team has published guidance to line managers on how to enforce 100% deductions for ASOS. Read it below.

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Queen Mary has instructed Heads of Schools to deduct 100% of pay for specific activities listed under Action Short of Strike (ASOS). The Senior Executive Team believes that they are well within their rights to refuse partial performance and can 'direct staff to focus on specific contractual activities including activities that prioritise education'.

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The Principal's craftily worded email suggest students shouldn't join picket lines. Students can absolutely join picket lines.

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“No students…should join either.”
Yet another attempt by Queen Mary’s to pit students and staff against each other.

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“No students…should join either.”
Yet another attempt by Queen Mary’s to pit students and staff against each other. https://t.co/0n3GfpQwA6

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“No students…should join either.”
Yet another attempt by Queen Mary’s to pit students and staff against each other. pic.twitter.com/0n3GfpQwA6
— QMUL Community Solidarity (@qmul_cs) February 2, 2022

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“No students…should join either.”
Yet another attempt by Queen Mary’s to pit students and staff against each other. https://t.co/0n3GfpQwA6

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“No students…should join either.”
Yet another attempt by Queen Mary’s to pit students and staff against each other. https://t.co/0n3GfpQwA6

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“No students…should join either.”
Yet another attempt by Queen Mary’s to pit students and staff against each other.

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31 January 2022: Punitive deductions announced

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31 January 2022: Punitive deductions announced

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In an email, the Principal announces 100% wage deduction for every day a member of staff does not reschedule any teaching which they would withdraw as part of the legal industrial action. This would essentially cancel out any strike action.

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The Principal hints he would threaten recruitment for courses which engage in strong industrial action

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We have learned that QMUL’s Principal is threatening to sabotage future student recruitment in Schools affected by the strike

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The Principal of QMUL Colin Bailey has decided that it is not enough to threaten our right to strike by withholding our pay until we agree to reschedule the teaching that was cancelled due to indus…

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Industrial Action is announced. Management has the chance to negotiate to avoid this disruption -- no word comes from them. Instead, they escalate aggressively.

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Due to the amazing efforts of QMUCU members which included countless hours of phonebanking and reaching out to colleagues, the UCU reballot on the USS Pensions dispute and Four Fights at QMUL was a huge success. Queen Mary passed the turnout threshold and secured a massive vote in favour of industrial action. 86% of members voted in favour of strike action on USS and 85% on the Four Fights. 90% and 94% voted in favour of action short of a strike on USS and the Four Fights respectively. Turnout over USS was an historically high 54.3%, and for the Four Fights it was 51.2%. In both ballots, more votes were cast this time than during any previous industrial action ballot at Queen Mary.

Last week UCU announced the upcoming national strike days for both disputes.

USS dispute: 14-18 February and 21-22 February

Four Fights dispute: 21-22 February and 28 February-2 March

Staff members will have seen from yesterday's communication from the university management that Queen Mary is planning to enact punitive deductions of 100% wages on staff who refuse to reschedule classes after the forthcoming strikes. This is only the latest in a series of confirmations that Queen Mary management have total contempt for their staff, and especially for those who dare to stand up to defend their working conditions. These playground-bully tactics are not only completely reprehensible, they are totally unworkable in practice and cannot defeat your collective action if you stay strong and united with your colleagues.

Our Branch Chair James has been in communication with UCU HQ. We expect to receive further guidance, including on the legal issues involved, from UCU HQ very shortly. As soon as we hear back from the national union we will let all members know how to proceed.

It is important to be prepare ourselves for a difficult fight. The management has taken a very aggressive stance towards the strike. In this moment it is also important to remind ourselves what we are fighting for. We are fighting to not lose a third of our pension when we retire. We are fighting to end the use of casual contracts which force staff to live in poverty. We are fighting to not experience a real terms pay cut every year as inflation eats away our salaries. We are fighting to end the gender and BAME pay gap. We are fighting to have workloads which would allow us to spend time with out friends and family, workloads which allow us to have a life outside of work. These are things worth fighting for. None of these issues are going to improve unless we are willing to withdraw our labour and disrupt the normal working of the university. And no matter how much we hate disrupting our students' education, there is just no other way.

There are two things we can do now before the advice from the national union comes in. Firstly, talk to your colleagues in your Schools and try to organise a departmental meeting. If you do not know how to do this or are afraid to approach all colleagues no matter their union membership, please write to the branch committee at ucu-coordinator@qmul.ac.uk.

Secondly, come to the branch meeting which takes place this Thursday 3rd February at 1pm to discuss a collective plan to counter management's punitive approach to deductions. Please encourage your colleagues to come along. Join the Zoom meeting here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83610858320

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Latest updates on strike dates, QMUL's punitive approach to deductions and the next branch meeting

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Due to the amazing efforts of QMUCU members which included countless hours of phonebanking and reaching out to colleagues, the UCU reballot on the USS Pensions dispute and Four Fights at QMUL was a huge success. Queen Mary passed the turnout threshold and secured a massive vote in favour of industrial action.