Raj Jethwa, Chief Executive of UCEA, said:
“It is disheartening that UCU, through its HEC, continues to try and push its members to disrupt students. The prolonged industrial action has been isolated and low impact, so it’s disappointing that UCU is now attempting a Marking and Assessment Boycott (MAB) at this important time for students during the academic year.
"It is simply untrue that HE employers withholding pay for not fulfilling contracts are "threats" that are "aimed at intimidating". Policies on withholding pay are the opposite: clear and factual, communicated to staff, and aimed at protecting students. HE institutions have a duty to protect their students and so they reject partial performance and - as UCU knows - they are legally entitled to withhold full pay for partial performance of duties such as MAB.
"HE institutions respect employees’ right to take lawful industrial action and, in turn, UCU needs to respect the employers' right to withhold pay for not fulfilling contracts. Each autonomous HE institution is of course fully focused on managing this period of potential disruption as best they can for their students. We are disappointed that UCU is encouraging its members to target students.
