Interview With BUCU Vice President

Charlie O'Keeffe

News Editor

This semester the University Staff are taking large scale strike action, and will be on the picket line for 18 days. Redbrick reached out to the Birmingham University and College Union (BUCU) for an interview, and the Vice President responded. Redbrick: Do staff on short term contracts face pressure not to strike in order to better their chances for getting a job in the coming year?

Andrew Olson: ‘Depending on a precarious position that may not be renewed from one year to the next or one term to the next, even when the university’s need for teaching or administrative work is predictable and pretty constant puts people under pressure. If there is a fear of speaking up about anything happening at work— discrimination, unsafe working conditions, unfair allocation of work or high workloads, without even reaching the decision about striking—this would be very natural. A workforce that must comply with whatever happens at work because their livelihood depends on it might be one of the aims of maintaining high levels of precarious work (together with avoiding basic benefits that go with longer contracts), but this does not lead to a university that functions better for students. Students should know that universities have not always had current levels of short-term contracts. Spending on staff, as a percentage of total spending, is at or near record lows.’

Redbrick: A lot of students question whether the strikes are effective, I hear a number of them complaining that they are more negatively impacted than the University institutions especially given the number of strikes planned for the coming months, how would you put this complaint to rest?

Andrew Olson: ‘I’m afraid it isn’t possible to put that complaint to rest, but students have put their finger on the problem. Strikes happen when the university ignores a series of issues staff are raising: equality, workloads, precarity, pay and pen - sions. Many of these have very direct impacts on students (staff workloads are an obvious example, but representation across gender and ethnicity is another). Students’ sense that strikes are ineffective is not surprising. Staff have been raising these issues since at least 2018, with no response. In fact, pay has continued to deteriorate, changes to pensions have been forced through over our objections, workloads remain at unsustainable levels and inequalities are a documented characteristic of university structure. The idea that strikes are created by staff is only possible if you think staff should never object to anything the university does. University staff do not like to strike. During a strike they do not get paid. They face hundreds or thousands of pounds of pay deductions for raising objections. Strikes are created when universities explicitly degrade conditions and then ignore staff when they object. The lack of response is why the strikes have needed to be escalated, increasing effects on students. In return, universities have not started serious negotiations. They have, instead, acted even more aggressively against staff (threatening to punitively deduct 50% of pay, indefinitely, for staff participating in strike action who may have missed as little as a single teaching session). Students are also right to notice that the way universities have responded means students are affected more than the institution. Universities keep the pay of strikers, so they have a monetary benefit from strikes. UCU has asked UoB to donate strikers’ pay to the student hardship fund. UoB has chosen not to do so. The lack of regard that the university has shown to both students and staff should inform students’ thinking about the strike.’

Redbrick: What can students do to support the strikes?

Andrew Olson: ‘The most important thing is to make their voices and dissatisfaction heard clearly and to show who they think is responsible. There are several avenues. You can write to the VC. The NUS, which supports the strikes, has an example letter on their website. Students can write to their local MPs to complain. Students can ask the university to compensate them for damage to their education. Students can voice their support through the Guild (which has voted to support the strikes), they can come to support the pickets and they could organise their own actions to show support. Student’s families may be concerned about impacts on students’ education. Families can also contact local MPs and the VC to express concern and encourage a resolution. Students may not realise the influence they can have. A strong response from students and their community in support of staff would be a source of pressure that would be hard to ignore and could lead to a quicker resolution for everyone.’

University Station Redevelopment Faces More Delays

have not been addressed for a very long time, and is not just a reflection of the current climate. The huge pension reductions, for example, depend on a prediction that economic growth will, for the foreseeable future, be at a level that has never been reached in this century (including the great depression, both world wars and the financial crisis of 2008). Otherwise the cuts are not justified. The current climate does show, however, how widespread problems are, affecting a wide range of employed people, well into the professional grades. The NHS, for example, is subject to a similar lack of investment in staff and unsustainable workloads, and is coming out of a very intense period during COVID when staff, like university staff, kept services running. We stand with other sectors (rail, mail, nurses, ambulance drivers, teachers, barristers) who are taking actions for reasons related to ours. The cost of living has intensified the issues, but they are long-standing, reflecting growing inequality that could easily scar the world that students are entering. We do have a choice, however. We can accept that world without complaint, as it is imposed on us from above, or we can join together as staff, students, and a much wider group of people across the economy to say “NO” this is not the world we want. We can do better.’

Ben Oakden Gaming Editor

The redevelopment of the University of Birmingham’s dedicated railway station has faced yet another delay, with completion now scheduled for autumn 2023.

University Station, Britain’s only main line station to serve a university, is being fitted with a new station building, wider platforms and a new entrance area and approach. The development is planned to increase capacity from 500,000 passengers a year to 7 million.

The station’s redevelopment was originally announced in June 2019, with the main aim of the project being to increase passenger capacity ahead of the 2022 Commonwealth Games. The University was host to the Games’ Squash and Hockey events, as well as housing an Athlete Village on the Vale student accommodation.

Redbrick: Birmingham has a £58 billion budget surplus during a cost of living crisis that affects both students and staff. How does this relate to its attitude towards the treatment of its staff?

Andrew Olson: ‘The fact that students, postgraduate students (who are also often employees of the university) and precariously employed staff are facing a cost of living crisis and may be forced to rely on food banks is a very concerning aspect of the current context, and an unfortunate sign for our community. We can do better than that. Due to an accounting manoeuvre related to the pension fund there appears to be a deficit in the latest accounts, but this is because the university is taking a set-aside against a deficit in the pension fund that no longer exists. Once again, the real surplus is arguably in the range of £50 million pounds. The contrast between conditions for students and staff and the financial condition of the university is striking and informative.’

Redbrick: What lead to the choice to take such significant strike action this time and was there influence from the current political climate, with unprecedented strikes in areas like nursing, train drivers etc?

Andrew Olson: ‘The UCU action stems from issues that

A statement from the University reads: ‘We would like to assure you that we are doing everything we can to minimise the impact of the industrial action on you and your studies. We are disappointed that this further period of industrial action is taking place, while discussions regarding pay are ongoing between UCU and the national universities representative body UCEA (Universities and Colleges Employers Association). Since this is a national dispute, the University cannot act in isolation to influence the outcomes that UCU is seeking over pay and pensions. We do, however, recognise the impact of the increased cost of living on our staff and so, in addition to the nationally negotiated 3% pay increase, the University has also provided all academic and related staff with an exceptional, non-consolidated pay uplift of 2% for this year. This is in addition to increases in pensions contributions.'

Everyone in the University community would wish to see an end to this dispute through reasonable negotiation and resolution. While many students will not be affected, we recognise and understand the concerns of those students who may be impacted and we will continue to do everything we can to minimise any disruption – including keeping you informed throughout the period of the dispute.’

However, the development has been behind schedule, being delayed first until spring 2023, and now until autumn. Although the West Midlands Combined Authority was able to secure £54 million in funding, including around £12 million in government levelling-up funds, inflation has meant that Transport for West Midlands (TFWM) has struggled to keep up with construction costs.

Although the exterior of the station building is largely complete, the interior sections are yet to be finished. Along with inflationary pressure, TFWM has blamed supply network issues in sourcing the necessary internal cladding. Although trains have been operating as normal throughout the redevelopment, it has come as a frustration that the project will open up to 15 months behind the planned completion date.