UCU calls for vulnerable to work remotely as Omicron surges

This seems rather belated as we head toward reduced and then removed restrictions. Project fear revisited as ever.

University campuses are some of the safest places to work, while students have really suffered from Covid. Yet the UCU continues to demand privileged levels of protection for academics at the expense of students. Embarrassing, unrealistic, unprofessional.

The campus is a very safe place to work. UCU should focus on encouraging members to get vaccinated and wear face coverings. Considering that prior to Covid, many academic staff spent the majority of their time in a week, off campus, with less the half the year in scheduled teaching (with at least 16 vacation weeks) just how 'remote' do they want to be ? If you are extremely clinically vulnerable, provision is already made in current government guidance and all institutions have occupational health assessments and arrangements. Whilst UCU grandstand for better paid employees, their members expect the very lowest paid employees to be on campus, making it safe for them. Contempt that came to the fore during the recent strike action, as UCU encouraged direct student action and occupations by fringe activists, all of which had to be cleaned up by our poorest paid colleagues during a new variant wave. UCUs credibility is somewhat frayed.

16 vacation weeks? Where do you work?

The lack of accountability on the part of senior management, inconsistent application of university policies and regulations, indiscriminate cutting of front line staff while middle management and top management expands, inequities in pay, inequites in promotion and progression opportunities, favouritism, nepotism and various other insidious forms of discrimination, lack of transparency in the decision making process. There are a number of deep issues that have affected the morale and well being of staff in universities that UCU should really take up the fight on. Most universities have already made exceptional provisions for staff and student well being. The "16 week vacation" comment is ridiculous and off campus does not mean off work.

"off campus does not mean off work" Unfortunately, many managers still think that off campus means off work, or that staff is slacking at home doing nothing. Somehow, lectures are still being delivered, in many cases simultaneously face-to-face and online for the students who do not attend in person. This means that staff had to adjust delivery and provide means of engagement with students who are in the room AND online. This doesn't happen overnight; it needs work. Strangely, many staff have also continued submitting manuscripts, project proposal, supervising PhDs and anything else they were doing pre-pandemic on campus but had to adjust to off campus settings as well. Almost 2 years of yo-yo of face-to-face / online / both simultaneously, has impacted on staff morale, but that's not the only factor. The impact the lack of trust senior management has of their staff is much greater. Most people would be willing to put in the extra effort if they felt appreciated and they contribution valued. Instead, senior management still clings to a pre-pandemic reality that is long gone, especially in terms of targets. UCU should focus there.