AUT - The Higher Education Union - Dispute.

[Drisgirl]

No I had never heard of their dispute before either!

Now just as my son is sitting his finals after 4 bloody long years of hard slog he learns that the exam papers are to be stockpiled as they are refusing to mark them thus rendering his Graduation postponed indefinately.

He has a job - he is lucky - most of his peers are awaiting their results before confirmation of employment.

How dare they use those students to make the Government sit up.

They are scum - and it affects the whole of the UK.

I'd be interested to hear from someone who could justify this appalling behaviour.

Please no students are parasites - my son has worked a job and studied hard - it certainly has been no cakewalk!

[johnlambert]

I know how you feel Drisgirl, my friend is finishing her history degree this year and she is furious. I would have been gutted if it was me waiting but thankfully there was no dispute when I got my degree.

Good luck to your lad, hope he gets the result he wants and deserves.

[Drisgirl]

Thanks john - it is so demoralising for them.Its such a selfish action.

[johnlambert]

I agree, im thinking about applying to study (as a mature student) for a Law Degree , hope it's all over sooner rather than later.

[youngmafbog]

Not the only Union playing up. Labour government - Unions deja vous.

[Ralph]

How do you suggest they draw attention to their "cause"? I honestly don't know if they've got a valid complaint and I do feel for anyone affected by it, but unless someone suffers and is outraged, nothing will change for them.

There is no point in bar staff striking on wet January Tuesdays, they need to strike on the first match of the world cup (as they did in Ireland some years ago), otherwise nobody gives a monkeys. Likewise, Air Traffic Controllers won't go on strike on winter mornings between 2am and 4am, nobody will care. They need to go out during the day at the start of the school holidays (like they do in France with alarming regularity).

You should really take this up with your MP or someone similar who can do something. There's no harm in telling the markers what you think of them, but I suspect they already know.

PS, I'm not involved in this action, I'd never heard of it until you posted this, I'm not attacking you in any way, shape or form, I was a student and would still like to be if the money was better(!) so I won't student-bash, etc. etc.......

[Drisgirl]

Ralph - I understand perfectly well why they have chosen to do this at this particular time.I'm glad you understand my angst at this particular moment as you have been a student but those people have quite happily taken their payslips,marking money and holidays and crucially brought my son up to the standard he is at now and at the final hurdle they withdraw all their support to the students they have built a relationship with.My son is only 21 and is under so much stress without this.I could weep for them all.

Just as a matter of interest do the other UK Uni's start their exams at the same time as Scotland?I suspect its later and I also think there will be more of a reaction when the majority are being targeted - so it might be worthwhile finding out if your child - or indeed yourself are affected - because my son only found out yesterday after his second exam.It has put them off kilter as apparently their Lecturer is there to explain the paper to them in advance - not the Q's-and he wasnt there.

Poor show overall.

[THECORBYLOON]

Dris as a member of a union,I will be taking part in a two-day stike on 2nd and 3rd May. Folk on Benefits will suffer as Jobcentres and Benefit offices will be hit. Strikes always have an impact on someone and they are not considered lightly. We will not be for those two days so we will suffer too. I appreciate you do not agree with the action taken by the AUT but to call them "scum" is not right. Are you aware that the National Union of Students is supporting their action?

[Drisgirl]

TCL - are you aware the people you and the AUT are hitting are the ones you are working to either help or educate.

Are you aware I and my sons dad and the rest of my immediate family have paid for over 50 yrs to enable you and others reliant on our contributions to provide us with a service.

I am sorry - but to hit my son at the last hurdle with withdrawal of tutorial services - given what our family have been through to support and encourage my son - I maintain they are scum and I personally would give them a tongue lashing like they had never had before.

How dare they befriend and tutor my son and his peers to their finals and then do this during his Honour year exams.He didnt even celebrate his 21st properly because he was studying and working so hard.

TCL - just for one milisecond put yourself in my shoes as a parent.

[Drisgirl]

BTW - yes I was aware of the NUS but the majority of them are full time union members and are certainly not supporting the students.

The proverbial will hit the fan when it hits the rest of the UK.

At least yours is only a 2 day strike - my H has wangled his weekends etc so he would be back for my sons Graduation in July (yes he does have to do it that far in advance).Now - some of the poor ******* will be coming to you because they cant start the jobs they have lined up because they wont have their results.

Talk about a vicious circle.Thank the lord I am bailing out!

[THECORBYLOON]

Dris, I have worked for more than 20 years for the DHSS/DSS/DWP/Social Security/Jobcentre Plus and I and my colleagues pay contributions too. I have been verbally abused on a daily basis, threatened wi having ma throat cut, accused of favouring immigrants, threatened by a guy who said he'd wait for me after work. I have seen furniture wrecked, security guards assaulted. We used to have a very large concrete container filled wi sand for claimants to put their cigarettes into and I watched as a claimant lifted it and hurled it at a reception screen almost hitting a wee one

We are threatened with continuing job cuts and poor pensions and I know a strike will affect those in receipt of Benefits but what else can we do?

[sandbach99]

Now your son knows how a strike can disrupt the lives of other people I trust he will never go on strike during his working days.
So when his boss offers a pay reduction or increase less than inflation he will object verbally and in writing but then accept it or leave. Likewise if others leave and he has their work to do as well as his own or after believing he would retire at a certain age on a certain rate of pension he is suddenly told to work an extra number of years for a reduced pension he will shrug his shoulders and say OK.. Or if his job is sent to India etc he won't mind.

Don't blame the workers blame the bosses continuously moveing the goal posts always to their advantage.
The people on strike lose as well while on strike, their increment dates are altered, their years of service lose the days they are on strike causing more than a days loss of wages.
When your son gets into the real world he will realize that the threat of a strike is the only language that will even make an employer return to the negotionating table

[Drisgirl]

The point I was striving to make is that its not the employers who are being targeted and being held to ransom as such but its the innocents caught in the crossfire.I think its particularly cruel,knowing the pressure they are under to withdraw their professional help at such a crucial time.

TCL - I have been a Union Member and have never been under the external pressure you have.As I said before yours is a 2 day strike to highlight your plight and I am sure it will work and I hope it does.

sandbach - I appreciate everything you have said but I think you have missed the point I was attempting to make,if you dont mind me saying.Its the people they are hitting and the way they are going about it.Its not their employers its as I have said the students caught in the crossfire at such a crucial point in their lives.We are not talking about missing lectures (which they have done) - its stockpiling their papers and delaying their Graduations.

My son will , when he joins the real world, react in the manner he sees fit.He is not silly and understands disputes etc and the ehos behind them as do I - I just find this one unjust.

[educator]

As a university lecturer who is an AUT member I must respond to your accusations that we are 'scum'.

The fact that you have not heard anything about our action shows how little the general public care about higher education.

We too are traumatised by the action that we have been required to take, our purpose is to contribute to the education of our students, many of whom we have developed relationships with over the course of their study. We write them references, we advise them on applications, we mark their work. But, when we need them to stand up and support us, they complain about us and get their parents to do the same. WE are being abused in this system and the only reason that your son has not suffered to date is due to the committment of his lecturers to his education despite facing increasing pressures and decreasing pay.

I am deeply saddened that your anger is directed at us rather than decrying a society where educators are not valued. If you cared about students' education, you would write to our employers and ask them to pay us a decent wage. Top up fees were agreed in part to try to address poor pay and conditions for lecturers, but now this money will not be used for this purpose.

[Drisgirl]

educator - I first of all apologise for my use of the word scum.That is not my usual termanology and I was a tee'd off.

My son has had and continues to have an excellent relationship with his tutors.He was voted class rep in 1st year given he was the youngest student at HW - a great achievement.He has been year rep since and has a magnificent rapport with all the tutors he liaises with.

I am sorry for the tardy reply to your valid points - just back from holiday - his graduation is still on course for the 12/7 -so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

In saying that - why pile the pressure on the students at such a crucial time when you have taken my son to the level he is now at?That was the point I was making - its his only chance after such a long hard journey.Your memory cant be thet long you cant remember what it was like.Your grievance is with your employer not the students - hate to quote the old chestnut but we've paid - they havent delivered.

Good Luck:)