Queen’s University Belfast and academics’ union agree deal to end marking boycott

Queen’s University in Belfast has struck an agreement with an academics’ trade union to end a marking boycott that had left hundreds of students without a degree classification.

The settlement between Queen’s and the University and College Union (UCU) to end its marking and assessment boycott is the first local agreement in the ongoing UK-wide industrial dispute involving academics.

Around 750 Queen’s students are set to graduate without a classification this summer as a result of the industrial action by staff over pay, working conditions and pensions.

Students across law, history, anthropology, politics, architecture, psychology, music, environmental planning, archaeology, sociology and criminology are affected.

Queen’s and UCU said several weeks of intensive work between the two sides had resulted in the settlement, and students affected will now receive their classification as “a matter of urgency”, with an additional ceremony planned to allow them to graduate with their final degrees.

Marking will be completed by August 7 to allow exam boards to finalise all results by the end of the summer.

The agreement includes a cost-of-living supplement equivalent to 2% of pay and will apply to all staff except those on the Senior Salary Scheme. This will take effect from September 1.

The deal also includes a provision that means in the event that the wider UK dispute is resolved, and a further national pay increase is agreed between UCU and the Universities and Colleges Employers Association, Queen’s will not be obliged to make any further payments unless the award exceeds 7% in total.

Other issues included in the agreement are the implementation of proposals around casualisation and fixed-term contracts and the development of a strategy by the university to address issues in relation to gender, race and disability pay gaps.

Professor Sir Ian Greer, president and vice-chancellor of Queen’s, told the PA news agency: “Clearly this has been a very difficult time for our students, we regret the distress caused at what should be a celebratory time, and we hope that this provides assurance that the issue will now be addressed.

“We are disappointed that this could not have been resolved ahead of graduations, during which around 750 students will receive their degrees without classifications, but we are committed to providing an additional full graduation ceremony for them and further details will be provided in the near future.

“We are working in challenging times, with funding for universities and colleges slashed by over 40% since 2011 and we are anticipating cuts this year of around £11 million, and it is the funding of universities that is at the heart of this dispute.

“The Northern Ireland funding model is not sustainable. I am keen to secure a model that will allow the sector to improve staff conditions and which is also fair to students, but that can’t be resolved quickly.

“In the meantime, this is a UK-wide dispute and while we have resolved it as far as we can locally, we fully support our colleagues’ right to take industrial action and I am calling on renewed focus to reach an overarching agreement across the board.”

Sean O’Connell, of UCU, said: “Our members are fully aware of and deeply regret the impact the recent action has had on our students and we are pleased that we have reached an agreement to enable them to receive their exam results.

“This dispute is not just about pay and we are pleased that the university has also reached agreement with us on making progress in relation to casualisation, stress-related work pressures and other issues that will now also be addressed.

“We welcome the fact that locally, Queen’s had recognised the challenges that we have been raising and we now call on University and Colleges Employers Association to follow the lead and get back around the table to resolve the national dispute.”

Beth Elder, the incoming president of the Students Union at Queen’s said: “This has been an incredibly stressful and difficult time for students and we have been working hard to ensure both sides understood fully the damage that was being caused to young people looking to start their careers or continue their studies.

“I now call on the university and staff to ensure there are no further delays in completing the marking process and to find a solution to the dispute nationally so that students do not face any more hardships or distress.”

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