tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post7856731529157227898..comments2024-03-24T09:13:28.758+00:00Comments on The Plashing Vole: Mark My Work?The Plashing Volehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13021407602157515927noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-24633933669292757652014-09-02T10:25:48.062+01:002014-09-02T10:25:48.062+01:00You have shared a great information about Domestic...<br />You have shared a great information about <a href="http://www.carbonio.co.uk/domestic---small-business.html" rel="nofollow">Domestic Electrical Installation</a> and <a href="http://www.carbonio.co.uk/industrial---commercial.html" rel="nofollow">Industrial Electrical Contractors</a>.Which are very informative for us. ThanksCar Boniohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479605628316206433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-51166668666889107402014-04-12T16:37:55.137+01:002014-04-12T16:37:55.137+01:00Your one percent pay rise sucks yes I agree howeve...Your one percent pay rise sucks yes I agree however this was in no way the fault of the students. Students who work damn hard to get their assignments in on time. <br /><br />You say we don't look at the bigger picture but from the bigger picture to me this means final year students lose out on their job offers because they didn't get their grades in on time. You talk about poor working conditions and low pay but then could be forcing people who have worked hard for a degree into unemployment or low paying jobs with poor working conditions! Then what happens if you get what you want and get your pay rise? The money's got to come from somewhere and the government may just use this as an excuse to allow universities to up their fees. So from where I'm standing the bigger picture is students are the ones who suffer all round.<br /><br />As for people saying the 9 grand is borrowed. Yes a fair amount of students borrow £27 grand for three years of study but what about international students who pay even more than that and don't get government loans? <br /><br />Also your pay rise may not be much at all but there are many many people who have worked for years with no pay rise and are on minimum wage. Your pay rise may not be much but at least you're earning an amount which lets you live life more comfortably than these people. Although, yes I understand the concern over people like cleaners who are a lot worse off than lectures.<br /><br />You have the right to strike and protest but I just feel it's grossly unfair to take it out on students because now this just simply makes another group of people suffer. Surely there just has to be another way to get your point across.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-41988552559119059692014-04-12T00:32:38.746+01:002014-04-12T00:32:38.746+01:00The starting salary for Lecturers is £30,000, or j...The starting salary for Lecturers is £30,000, or just over. So it's a decent wage, but not anything like some of the figures I've heard people suggest we get....recently a taxi driver told my wife that he thought Lecturers were on £140,000 a year. After she had finished laughing and told him the real amount, it turned out that he earned more than I do.<br /><br />In any case, the reason that lecturers still do earn a decent (if unspectacular) wage is because they are unionised and are prepared to strike. Decent wages and conditions don't just happen - they have to be fought for.Owennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-48777423805450686322014-04-10T19:14:40.286+01:002014-04-10T19:14:40.286+01:00Calling lecturers bourgeois only reinforces the ne...Calling lecturers bourgeois only reinforces the neo-liberal perception of higher education.Lectures work hard, too. And yes, they may earn more than in other jobs however, it does not make them bourgeois - actually, with this strike lecturers try to fight capitalism in that they challenge wardens who sit on a thick check while others don't get a slice from the cake. Is this fair? I'm a student in my third year, and yes, as you are I am too dependent on my mark and have plans already. And yes, as angry as you are so was I - but you have to turn your anger against those who have forced lecturers to go on a strike in the first place - in other words, go 'backstage'. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-86595991574087753752014-04-10T18:45:01.746+01:002014-04-10T18:45:01.746+01:00A lack of marks is not equal to rubbish being pile...A lack of marks is not equal to rubbish being piled up if you live where mice/rats are likely to appear. A lack of marks is not equal to those trying to get to work when the buses are on strike. A lack of marks is not equal to the rights you will enjoy (and could lose if you stay self-centred) because of trade unions.Yes, it is meant to cause disruption. And guess what, the threat is working. UCEA may just offer a pay increase next week and then UCU members will be balloted over Easter (possibly).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-59623351103471828372014-04-10T16:33:57.461+01:002014-04-10T16:33:57.461+01:00Ha ha ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha. The Plashing Volehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13021407602157515927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-32704637215444552502014-04-10T16:05:40.964+01:002014-04-10T16:05:40.964+01:00This is not very helpful, is it? We are dancing ar...This is not very helpful, is it? We are dancing around the core with comments of this kind. <br />ps: Don't use big words if you don't know their meaning. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-56244452319100229232014-04-10T15:48:30.258+01:002014-04-10T15:48:30.258+01:00Observing that academic are bourgeois is hardly a ...Observing that academic are bourgeois is hardly a revelation to academics or anybody else. Your point being? <br /><br />Also: I read this week that bricklayers' wages in the South-East are now c.£100,000. Are they bourgeois too?The Plashing Volehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13021407602157515927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-60503457651488597462014-04-10T15:30:28.055+01:002014-04-10T15:30:28.055+01:00"I know we earn more than many jobs" Bou...<br />"I know we earn more than many jobs" Bourgeoise. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-22193096066255067782014-04-10T15:26:46.120+01:002014-04-10T15:26:46.120+01:00Owen, there is a crucial difference between whethe...Owen, there is a crucial difference between whether binmen refuse to collect my rubbish for weeks and lectures withholding marks/boycotting plans in near future - piles of rubbish are not equal to missing out on job opportunities due to a lack of marks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-41323259226870283642014-04-10T14:22:29.502+01:002014-04-10T14:22:29.502+01:00That's a complicated question Sarah. While the...That's a complicated question Sarah. While the pay settlements (percentage rises or decreases) are agreed nationally, every university has different grades and starting points. A junior lecturer will probably start around £32,000, which is roughly £8,000 above the national average (or median, I can never remember which). <br /><br />However: most lecturers who find a permanent job will have spent many years acquiring extra qualifications: MAs, PhDs, PGCEs, and they'll be loaded with extra debt from that, and of course have no savings, house deposits etc. <br /><br />Add to that the hidden shame of the university sector: that a massive chunk of teaching is actually done by PhD students and people paid by the hour rather than on salaries. These people don't get paid for all the work they do, the research they produce or the long summers between contracts. Nor do they contribute to a pension. <br /><br />And of course many of the biggest universities are in very expensive cities: £32k doesn't go far at all in London, Oxford, Cambridge etc, which is a problem we share with millions of people.<br /><br />It's really people like this that I want to benefit from the industrial action. By most standards, academics are paid fairly well, although the long delay before starting a career makes a huge financial difference (I was 34 when I got a full-time job). But every year the salary gets worse, and the difference between it and the wages paid for other things people might be tempted to do widens. Why be a lecturer in finance, for instance, when you could earn hundreds of thousands in banking?<br /><br />So there's a problem of casualisation, of attracting people to the profession, and of the increasing gap between what the management pays itself and what it wants to pay us. We work harder and harder: classes are bigger, marking piles are bigger, demands for research increase, yet we're expected to do more for less. That's a basic issue of fairness. <br /><br />I know we earn more than many jobs. I don't think that means we should accept decreasing salaries: we should (and I do) want higher wages for everyone! This is the 5th biggest economy in the world. It's just that some people would rather pay hedge fund traders millions than spread it around more fairly. The Plashing Volehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13021407602157515927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-51430804642183596102014-04-10T14:04:19.182+01:002014-04-10T14:04:19.182+01:00Ok, since no one is really saying it straight out ...Ok, since no one is really saying it straight out (as far as I can see), how much exactly do you get paid as a university lecturer? Or how much roughly does a lecturer get paid?Sarahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-60560291859500117822014-04-10T13:18:23.224+01:002014-04-10T13:18:23.224+01:00Anonymous, the same arguments that you are making ...Anonymous, the same arguments that you are making now get trotted out every time there is a strike on the trains, bus, binmen etc - people other than the employer are always affected. Indeed, that is part of the point of a strike, as this increases the pressure on the employer to come to the negotiating table. What other option do workers have than withdrawing their labour?<br /><br />The UCEA could end the marking boycott before it even happens by simply agreeing to raise wages in line with inflation. All we are asking for is for something better than a wage cut.Owennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-91622357144256953572014-04-09T15:11:52.524+01:002014-04-09T15:11:52.524+01:00Funny how your proclaimed care about your graduati...Funny how your proclaimed care about your graduating students dissolves as soon as it comes to their career plans. Not your business, is it?<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-58210300362025674212014-04-09T14:30:01.963+01:002014-04-09T14:30:01.963+01:00We don't provide knowledge. Education is about...We don't provide knowledge. Education is about furnishing students with the intellectual means to acquire knowledge and turn it into wisdom. <br /><br />It's not 'all or nothing': we've tried 'nothing' by withdrawing our labour for entire days. As a tactic, it didn't work. This is another tactic. <br /><br />We don't deny that disruption will ensue. We hope the management will understand this and take steps to prevent this unfortunate event. Give your VC a call. The Plashing Volehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13021407602157515927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-73738560418902884972014-04-09T14:15:51.374+01:002014-04-09T14:15:51.374+01:00"The consequences for us are months of not re..."The consequences for us are months of not receiving any salary even while we continue to teach and research."<br />Either all or nothing. You may argue now that you'll continue to research because you care for students in that you would like to provide as much unique knowledge as possible. However, if'd you argue this, I would say 'How come then that you use the marking tactic although this may disrupt the plans of this year graduates in near future?' Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-49650567212122130802014-04-09T13:00:59.785+01:002014-04-09T13:00:59.785+01:00"The consequences for us are months of not re..."The consequences for us are months of not receiving any salary even while we continue to teach and research."<br />So, you'll boycott marking/withhold marks but on the other side you'll " continue to teach and research"? How does this make even sense? <br /><br />How about consequences for students who would love get onto a graduate scheme in september? <br /><br />"I really hope that you always work for lovely employers who don't relentlessly cut your wages to inflate their reserves and executive salaries."<br />How come you assume I think cuts and unpaid work hours are legitim? Never said so. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-91493366734369476102014-04-09T12:53:30.664+01:002014-04-09T12:53:30.664+01:00'Admitting'? The consequences for us are m...'Admitting'? The consequences for us are months of not receiving any salary even while we continue to teach and research. Universities are free to pay other people to mark work - or they could simply end the 6 years of pay cuts. <br /><br />I really hope that you always work for lovely employers who don't relentlessly cut your wages to inflate their reserves and executive salaries. The Plashing Volehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13021407602157515927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-90420768600517280002014-04-09T12:45:18.092+01:002014-04-09T12:45:18.092+01:00You've written a nice list illustrating your r...You've written a nice list illustrating your reasons for this strike. How about admitting to the consequences if this strike will run over months? . Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-4944776732303160512014-04-09T12:43:21.084+01:002014-04-09T12:43:21.084+01:00Actually, anonymous, I've campaigned long and ...Actually, anonymous, I've campaigned long and hard for the service department staff pay and conditions to be improved. They have been too! <br /><br />Support staff are members of a different union, so you'll excuse me for concentrating on my own in this particular dispute. The Plashing Volehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13021407602157515927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-62486314222063320472014-04-09T12:31:21.985+01:002014-04-09T12:31:21.985+01:00in this sense, please refrain from using the word ...in this sense, please refrain from using the word 'solidarity' as the only staff you focus on in your article are lectures. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-82478864340644262892014-04-09T12:27:12.511+01:002014-04-09T12:27:12.511+01:00Interesting how underpaid 'cleaners' are m...Interesting how underpaid 'cleaners' are mentioned only once - and then only in retro-perspective.<br />I thought the strike is also about non-academic staff? What if academic staff will get a pay rise, and non-academic <br />won't? Will you continue with the strike? You make me laugh.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-70053997200372803712014-04-08T16:06:19.924+01:002014-04-08T16:06:19.924+01:00I have every sympathy with the pay and pension con...I have every sympathy with the pay and pension conditions faced in the past few years by academic staff. And I fully support the right of academics to take industrial action. However, industrial action should be targeted at those who have the power to make the changes in working conditions that you are fighting for. This is not the student body. The marking boycott will primarily cause disruption for students, whereas the pay dispute is with the UCEA. I struggle to see how delaying vital information about the futures of graduates is going to convince the UCEA to shift their stance. I also fail to understand why students should come out and support the staff. The UCU has contacted my Students' Union on a number of occasions inviting us to join them on the picket lines. Taking industrial action that targets students' wellbeing, and then asking them to join you on the picket lines seems illogical at best. And this objection is not rooted in neo-liberal, individualistic consumerism. It is rooted in the principle of solidarity, that groups of people drawn together to campaign for a common cause do so with mutual support and respect. Rich Parrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-79894648970953931432014-04-05T13:00:00.216+01:002014-04-05T13:00:00.216+01:00If you are a third year you're not paying £900...If you are a third year you're not paying £9000 fees anywayAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-28562627711858702112014-04-05T08:58:24.956+01:002014-04-05T08:58:24.956+01:00Great article. I teach English Lit, too. Well, tho...Great article. I teach English Lit, too. Well, those pesky unions, which have brought all workers (including those about to graduate): Weekends, holidays, sick leave, equality rights,and so forth. Folks who are angry about having to wait for a grade, should bear in mind that employers do not give workers stuff out of kindess; they are hard fought for rights. This effects you, as students, who will be full time workers.<br />At the moment, many of your lecturers get paid far less than the living wage: zero hours, hourly pay. yet, they still ensure quality marking - giving their labour for free (for you!). However, if this trend continues, then more and more students will find quality goes down. Even if you are only interested in a grade (and I can assure you that employers want more than that), are you happy to see your work marked by those who do not have the experience to give you the right grade? be careful what you wish for. But thanks to all the many students who support us. All we want is fairness for all, and the best education we can offer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com