Higher education conference hears of ‘ systemic under funding ’

Delegates to UNISON’s national higher education conference in Milton Keynes last week passed a raft of motions on a range of issues – from smashing the gender pay gap in the sector, to campaigning for insourcing, to fighting for members working in student unions, to equalities. Addressing the conference, UNISON assistant general secretary Jon Richards (pictured above) said: “There have been funding challenges over the years and the Westminster government have shown they do not care about higher education. “It is systemic underfunding that has seen all institutions facing financial worries and the erosion of student support has seen student poverty rates go through the roof.” But, he concluded, “recognising there is a problem is one thing, doing something about it is another”. For the service group executive, Joanne Tapper moved a motion on bringing outsourced services back in-house. “So many universities continue to operate as a two-tiered workforce,” she said, “outsourcing and excluding colleagues such as cleaning staff, catering and security staff.” Ms Tapper mentioned that many universities – including her own, University College London – continue to prioritise this agenda over a duty of welfare, dignity and respect to the very colleagues who are essential in maintaining these institutions. Yet the importance of these roles had been highlighted even further during the pandemic. “We deserve better and demand better,” she said. “We will stand ...
Source: UNISON Health care news - Category: UK Health Authors: Tags: Article News 2023 year of Black Workers higher education Source Type: news