Bradford College justifies contract changes (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
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Bradford College justifies contract changes
9:50am Saturday 7th January 2012 in News
Cuts in Government funding mean that changes in lecturers’ contracts have to be looked at, Bradford College has said.
The college, which this week unveiled plans for a £50 million state-of-the-art redevelopment, is in talks with unions about making contracts more flexible because the new building is expected to be open 48 weeks a year.
Changes could include increased teaching hours, changes to holidays, and making the normal working week include Saturday.
Julie Kelley, regional official for the University and College Union, which represents 500 lecturers at the college, said some members had reacted in horror to part of the proposals.
But a College spokesman said it was pursuing a new contract because cuts in Government funding meant it had to deliver more for less.
“This means we need to look at how we can free up restrictive practices in the current contract to allow our lecturing staff to deliver the curriculum more efficiently,” the spokesman added.
“We opened negotiations last summer and have allowed a full academic year to reach agreement.
“We have had productive discussions with UCU so far and hope that these will progress in the next few months and are aiming to deliver a contract which recognises the professionalism of our staff, allows us to attract and retain the best lecturers for our students and also allows us to deploy staff efficiently and effectively.
“We went through a similar exercise with our support staff recently and were able to agree a new contract with them that is working well and we hope to deliver the same outcome with UCU.”
Comments(7)
knowwhatyourtalkingabout
says...
11:04am Sat 7 Jan 12
Bornagain2him
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11:48am Sat 7 Jan 12
Thee Voice Of Treason
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12:41pm Sat 7 Jan 12
legallyblonde
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5:33pm Sat 7 Jan 12
Ian H 1971
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9:49pm Sat 7 Jan 12
knowwhatyourtalkingaYou have clearly not experienced what I have working in various stores and supermarkets! The erratic and random shift patterns; the low pay; the disgraceful things you are ordered to do; the bullying and brutality; the long hours and weekends and late nights; the constant bouts of illness that take years of absolute rest from the workplace to recover from (CFS in my case); the breakdown of family life at home; the major sleep problems that turn to insomnia; the recurring thoughts of suicide, the depression, the anxiety and the anger and so on.
bout wrote:
Some of the comments on an earlier article about Bradford College expressed bitternes and jealousy about the pay and conditions of teachers, one comparing the profession of teaching to working in a shop. I do wonder why these people don't become teachers themselves if it is such an easy life. My partner is a teacher and she studied hard for 2 years to get 'A' levels, then did a degree for 3 years followed by a further 1 year of study for a teaching qualification. She worked throughout to support herself and finished with a debt of £27,000. She now has responsibility for a class of 30 children, works from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and most of Sundays prearping work, teaching and marking. She is often ill during holidays recuperating from the pressure she is under while at work. Teachers are often ordinary people who have worked very hard to get into the profession. Why would anyone be angry with them for this? Hardly the same as working in a shop!
I could go on and I expect many in the teaching profession go through much of what I have too. Shop work and also the teaching profession are NOT an easy life.
Patrick Bateman
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9:03am Sun 8 Jan 12
knowwhatyourtalkingabout says...
10:56am Sat 7 Jan 12