www.thecourieronline.co.uk Monday 24 November 2014 Issue 1301 Free
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The Independent Voice of Newcastle Students
The best and worst seasonal one night only - and treats rated and slated p.14 we were there p. 26
Est 1948
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What counts as normal in the fashion world? p. 16
Ricky Roaders lose hot water and heating for nine days By Charlie Dearnley & Kate Dewey News Editors
Chill behaviour: PhD student completes marathon in -20ºC p.3
Marking boycott suspended whilst negotiations take place
By Kate Dewey News Editor The marking boycott undertaken by University and College Union (UCU) members on 6 November has come to a temporary halt. As a result of a Higher Education Committee (HEC) meeting on 19 November it has been decided that negotiations will take place regarding the Universities Superannuation Scheme’s (USS) proposed changes to pension schemes. UCU and Universities UK (UUK) have agreed to a series of meetings in which they intend to negotiate the issue between now and January. The suspension will last until 15 January. If a conclusion is not reached by this date, then UCU intend to resume their strike action. Some UCU members were striking in response to the potential cuts to their pensions by refusing to mark and provide feedback on students’ work. Striking staff feared that pay sanctions would be imposed as a result of their action but University spokesperson Lesley
Braiden, Director of Student Services, stated: “In accordance with the national agreement, Newcastle University will not be applying its policy on the withholding of pay for breach of contract, in respect of those staff who advised that they were participating in the action between 6 and 19 November. “This development is encouraging, and we hope that it gives both parties the time and opportunity to reach an agreed solution.” Dr. Lucy Pearson, Lecturer in Children’s Literature and one of the UCU’s representatives in the School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics said: “Speaking personally, the decision to participate in a setting and marking boycott was a difficult one. I care passionately about my students and it is difficult for me to take action which impacts on them. “However, the proposed changes to the USS pension scheme are so catastrophic that I felt it was important for the UCU to speak out and to take action which would demonstrate the depth of
feeling on this issue. I fear that if the proposed changes to the USS were to go ahead, it would not only impact on my pension and those of my colleagues (in effect substantially cutting our pay), it would also deter the best and brightest from coming to work in our sector, impacting negatively on students on the future.” The UCU have published rough figures about the financial consequences the suggested changes would have. Roughly, each UCU member would lose around a quarter of a million pounds in pension payments during the time period they would be claiming their pensions. The argument put forward by the USS is that the changes are necessary because they are in a financial deficit estimated to be around £8bn. However, the UCU question the evidence put forward by the USS and reasoning for the cuts. Senior Lecturer in Linguistics, Dr. Geoffrey Poole, said in a meeting held with students on 10 November: “It’s not even clear that there is a problem”.
UCU members took strike action because they doubt the reasons put forward for the proposed changes to their pension schemes. However, for the time being striking staff will resume normal marking standards and procedure whilst the negotiations are taking place. Sally Hunt, General Secretary for the UCU, released a statement on the UCU website that the Union and UUK: “are committed to seeking a joint proposal for reform that offers an affordable, sustainable and attractive pension scheme, for both current and future members. Both parties are pleased that the agreement to suspend industrial action at this early stage will mean that students will not have been adversely affected and members of staff will not have had pay deducted.” Lucy Pearson commented: “I am very pleased that the UUK has agreed to negotiate on this issue [...]It’s been a pleasure seeing students today and being able to tell them that I will be marking the essay they have just handed in.”
Hot water was unavailable in Richardson Road for nine days between 12 and 20 November, leaving students without hot showers and heating. In a statement to the Courier, the University said: “Heating and hot water to blocks 1–10 Richardson Road were disrupted due to a burst pipe on 12 November 2014. In order to carry out the repair, a part had to be specially manufactured. The spare part was delivered to site on Thursday 20 November and maintenance staff completed the works on the same day. Heating and hot water were restored and are now fully operational. “To limit the disruption to our students, we provided them with portable heaters and offered alternative shower facilities. We apologise to our students for the inconvenience and have made an offer of compensation to reflect the loss of service and inconvenience caused.” Residents will receive £60 in compensation. However, many of the site’s occupants are still unhappy with the speed at which the issue was dealt with. Jake Harries, first year History student and tenant of block six said: “It was a real pain. They wouldn’t fix it on the weekend as they would have had to call in an emergency plumber. Things like this shouldn’t happen. They gave us a temporary heater but you can’t have too many of them on otherwise you short circuit the electricity in the flat. You only get one for the lounge so the bedrooms are all really cold.” Martin Jolly, first year Civil Engineering student added: “It just annoyed me as we kept getting emails saying it would get fixed. They provided various excuses like the parts aren’t here yet and blamed the weather for the delay in fixing the pipes.” Megan Moore, first year GIS student said that the hot water incident left her feeling “sad”. She continued: “There were no queues at the Sports Centre. But it was a pain as you’d have to walk all the way to the showers there, you’d get warm and then have to walk back in the cold. It was either that or take a really cold shower in your flat.” Her housemates jokingly agreed: “We Smeagol’d quite a bit, but it was alright because we all smelled the same, so we didn’t realise that we smelled bad.”