Union says ‘intolerable’ workloads driving rise in staff sickness

High stress levels revealed by Nottingham Trent staff survey have raised concerns over effect of growing demands on academics

Published on
April 2, 2019
Last updated
April 2, 2019
Jack Grove
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Print headline: ‘Intolerable’ workloads driving rise in staff sickness, UCU says

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Reader's comments (7)

#1 Submitted by drmikesutton_252472 on April 2, 2019 - 8:32am
For more of this kind of thing see #UniveristyNearYou
#2 Submitted by NJF on April 2, 2019 - 10:12am
Yup, and it's not just Academic's, technicians are having excessive 'teaching loads' dumped on them too, especially where the 'Academic' is on several part time contracts in different Universities and is only on campus 1 day every 2 weeks. Academic's working 'split-shifts' teaching the same course material several times in the day due to over stuffed courses (more 'bums on seats' = more money for the University) is becoming common place too.
#3 Submitted by Millnerpa1 on April 2, 2019 - 10:44am
To be honest; it's really academics fault in the sense that we didn't act when all this began. Audit and the general drive to count everything just takes time away form other activities like research and teaching. At some point we should just say no - all together.
#4 Submitted by drmikesutton_252472 on April 2, 2019 - 11:44am
Only the Nazi-like efficiency of the cult of managerialism has very successfully created a dreadfully bullying climate of total fear in our universities. Mark Weinstein of NTU is a rare academic hero. Most dare not do what he has done. The Board of Governors of NTU should sack its VC (in my opinion) - kick out its worst bullying managers (with no golden handshake deals), stop its legal department from intimidating those who speak out, and appoint Mark Weinstein as VC! Yu watch how well the university would improve then, how the adverse publicity will melt away.
#5 Submitted by ... on April 2, 2019 - 12:24pm
Some former employees did act (responding to Millnerpa1), we wrote to the most senior officers and, in some cases, resigned.
#6 Submitted by Chestefield5 on April 2, 2019 - 12:36pm
The results of the Staff Survey for the Department of Sociology are rather late this year. Does anyone know why?
#7 Submitted by drmikesutton_252472 on April 2, 2019 - 1:53pm
By all accounts the staff have been revolting. HR appointed a professional independent consultant to interview staff to investigate. Staff have not held back in telling it as it is.

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