QMUL threatens to close courses to punish staff for industrial action

UCU today said that Queen Mary, University of London (QMUL) has cemented its status as one of the most vindictive' and 'anti-worker' employers in the country, after QMUL Principal Colin Bailey escalated his attempts to smash UCU's marking boycott. 

In internal emails sent over the weekend, Bailey threatened to close QMUL's Film Studies degree programme  unless staff return their marks. In writing, Bailey said that QMUL 'can't take new students onto programmes where staff refuse to deliver the promised education.' ^[1]

All affected staff at QMUL's Film Department have signed an open letter condemning 'consistent potentially unlawful threats to the future of our department and livelihoods, and the relentless hostility colleagues have been facing from the principal'. ^[2]

UCU members at QMUL taking part in a marking and assessment boycott have already faced a more aggressive response from the university's management than has been seen anywhere in the country. 

Spearheaded by Bailey, the university is planning to withhold 100% pay for 42 days from staff taking part in the lawful, democratically-agreed industrial action short of a strike, as well as reportedly approaching an Australian consultancy to bring in agency staff to undermine the boycott. 

The feedback by replacement markers has been criticised as basic, with some students receiving one word responses to their assessments. 

UCU said that Bailey's latest attempt to break industrial action and crush the union at QMUL was another sign that the arrogance and cruelty of university employers was imperilling the future of UK higher education, but that his threats would not succeed.  

Nationally, 85.9% of staff who voted in the pay and working conditions dispute backed taking industrial action including a marking and assessment boycott, alongside 88.1% who voted in the pensions dispute. 

The typical UCU member in the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) has seen their guaranteed retirement income slashed by around 35%, while staff across UK higher education have seen their pay fall by more than 25% in real-terms over the past decade. 

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'Threatening to close a thriving degree programme in order to break industrial action cements QMUL's status as one of the most vindictive and anti-worker employers in the country. It is also a direct attack on the education of students. Colin Bailey and QMUL senior management should feel nothing but shame, and must immediately withdraw their threats. 

'While Bailey draws an eye-watering £315,000+ salary and lives it up, rent-free, in a £1,000,000 university-owned apartment, he launches attack after attack on staff who are demanding the bare minimum: fair pay, secure working conditions, and decent pensions.

'Universities UK should renounce the rogue behaviour of Bailey and QMUL senior management. Such arrogance and cruelty from employers is a serious threat to the reputation and future of UK higher education, and risks a further escalation in industrial disputes ahead of a national aggregated ballot in September. 

'Crucially, this kind of intimidation will not succeed. The full force of the union is behind our members at QMUL, who continue to stand firm.'  

If you are a university member of staff, at QMUL or anywhere across the UK, please sign the open letter here.

Notes 

[1] Section of email from QMUL Principal Colin Bailey to the Head of the School of Languages, Linguistics and Film sent at 4:34 PM on Friday 1 July 2022:  

If we can't get the final year marks in for Film, then we will need to consider whether we can recruit students onto these programmes next year. We can't take new students onto programmes where staff refuse to deliver the promised education.  

Best wishes,  

Colin  

Colin Bailey 

Queen Mary University of London. 

Section of email from QMUL Principal Colin Bailey to the Head of the School of Languages, Linguistics and Film sent at 5:01 PM on Saturday 2 July 2022: 

As expected, we have now had confirmation that UCU will launch a national ballot for strike action across the sector for the autumn and spring terms. 

It is therefore important that we apply correct pay deductions from all those staff who have participated in any industrial action, and that the policy agreed remains in place for what will be annual strikes going forward. 

Finally, we cannot recruit any students onto programmes where we have clear evidence that we will not be able to provide the education and assessment promised. 

Best wishes,

Colin 

Professor Colin Bailey, CBE, FREng, BEng, PhD, CEng, FICE, FIStructE, MIFireE 

President and Principal 

Queen Mary University of London | Mile End Road | London | E1 4NS