Further strikes have been called at several campuses across the UK as tensions escalate over pay deductions for academics refusing to mark students’ work.
With many students still unsure whether they will receive grades for their exams and essays this term – or if they will be able to graduate – the fresh round of strikes generally target university open days, meaning potential new students will also face disruption.
The University and College Union (UCU) branch at the University of Leeds has called an “indefinite strike” from 15 June, with staff calling for threats to dock 100 per cent of boycotters’ pay to be rescinded and for Leeds to follow Cambridge, Sussex and Queen’s University, Belfast in calling for national-level negotiations to restart.
With the other campus union – Unison – also on strike over pay for parts of this period, the university has been warned that open days, marking, exam boards, university conferences and dissertation supervision for master’s students could all be disrupted.
