Barry Rowlingson5d ago
David Lawrence Miller

the University and College Union at University of Edinburgh have voted in favour of strike action in response to potential 1800 job loses and another round of massive cuts. (background here: https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/14418/New-strike-ballot-at-Edinburgh-University-in-dispute-over-cuts-and-job-losses, no announcement yet)

This is at Edinburgh, where the principal did not know **his own salary** when asked at a Scottish Parliament committee https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburgh-university-boss-who-didnt-31811867. (It is almost 500k)

Another sign of broken higher education in the UK. Solidarity with UoE staff ✊

#he #union #unionstrong #uoe #ucu #ucu_strike

New strike ballot at Edinburgh University in dispute over cuts and job losses

Members of UCU at the University of Edinburgh will today begin a new ballot in a new dispute over £140 million cuts and up to 1,800 job losses, workload, hidden redundancies and meaningful consultation with unions.

Mar 20 at 10:08amWeb
Show threadDavid Lawrence Miller5d ago
worth saying I only have "visitor" status at the UoE but BioSS has their offices colocated at the Kings Buildings campus and I work with many UoE staff.
Show threadLeonardo Uieda5d ago
@millerdl senior management salaries in the UK are out of control. It's absurd that they get paid over 10x what a Lecturer makes. Solidarity from across the pond!
Show threadDavid Lawrence Miller5d ago

@leouieda ❤️

100% there has also been a shift to using fixed-term contract lecturing staff ("teaching fellows") to avoid employing more permanent staff across UK HE. The whole thing is a disaster at the moment!

✊

Show threadTnergu5d ago
@millerdl Thank you! The likely source of confusion and reason for lack of announcement is that the new strike action relates to the failure of management to abide by the terms of a previous agreement while the ongoing ballot is about a potential future round of cuts after April. Doesn't change the big picture though.
Show threadDavid Lawrence Miller5d ago
@pthime thanks for the clarification! The only thing I've seen is the e-mail from the principal which looks outrageous to me. ✊
Show threadMidgePhoto5d ago

@millerdl Not knowing one's salary might suggest the money isn't the primary driver for doing a job one perhaps thinks worth doing.
Which has some merit.

Concentrating on one's own salary is common, but people whose main drive is that are sometimes not the ideal ones to run public institutions, particularly those with purposes other than direct profit.

Show threadDavid Lawrence Miller5d ago

@Photo55 Sorry I don't buy this in this case.

If you're earning at that level you need to provide a full tax return to HMRC, you probably have an accountant, you are on a personal contract with the University and therefore make a case for your pay increase each year outwith collective bargaining. Not knowing your salary to within 10k is preposterous.

Whether or not you know on a day-to-day basis, if you're going to a parliamentary inquiry about the finances of your institution, you should be prepared to answer that kind of question.

Video here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/t1pGy52JPoo

Edinburgh University principal 'doesn't know exact salary'

YouTube
Show threadMidgePhoto5d ago

@millerdl
I'd suggest that asking in advance is probably sensible if one (or a ctee) actually wants information rather than to make a point.
Also, I was not on a salary nor at that level, but I would have been far more vague about my annual drawings late in my career when it was more than "enough" than 40 years earlier or at university when I knew to the pound what I was getting (and how much beer was affordable).

My accountant produced numbers once a year, and I took note of my bank balance.

Show threadCoding Gardener5d ago

@millerdl This is obscene and shameful.

To be paid so much money that you don't know your salary when asked...

And some politicians think it's people on low incomes who are bad with money. We know every penny at our disposal. We have to.