University of Sussex's The Badger

The University and College Union (UCU) have introduced a guidance pack aimed at combating the amount of casualisation in higher education in order to reduce inefficiency and inequality and secure better working conditions for academic staff. It is the UCU’s policy to campaign for a reduction in the use of fixed term contracts (FTCs) and hourly paid staff in favour of permanent contracts or where full contracts are inappropriate, a fixed-term contract with a FTC policy.
Employment legislation that came into effect on the 10th July 2006 means that fixed term staff that have been employed on successive fixed-term
contracts for 4 years or more by 10 July 2006 can request confirmation that
their post has become permanent unless the use of a FTC can be objectively justified. Despite this legislation, according to the UCU, 43% of academic staff in the UK (around 70,000 people) are still on fixed-term contracts. Jackie Rymell from the University of Sussex’s HR department comments on how this legislation has been implemented: “At Sussex, we have had a number of requests for permanent status from staff on FTCs who meet the 4-year threshold. Some have been confirmed as permanent, others have been confirmed as remaining fixed-term - these staff have been given the reason why this is the case i.e. the objective justification”. Those who are on hourly-paid contracts are “generally employed on indefinite rather than fixed-term contracts”. Rymell also comments that “The University will continue to respond to requests made, and, where appropriate, staff will be confirmed as permanent”.
The guidelines published by the UCU offer information aimed at ‘providing help to those in this vulnerable position’. Advice on how to secure full contracts, negotiate FTC policies, model letters of request for full contracts and advice on the prevention of less favourable treatment of fixed term employees in comparison to employees with indefinite contracts.
Since 1st October 2002, fixed-term employees have had the right to be treated equally to comparable employees on indefinite contracts with regards to issues such as pay, pensions and training opportunities, but according to the UCU, a quarter of staff on fixed-term contracts felt that their treatment compared to employees on full contracts was unequal. In response to the regulations, the University of Sussex introduced a ‘Policy on the Use and Management of Fixed-term appointments’, which was negotiated and agreed by all three of the university’s recognised trade unions. Rymell states, “The University does not treat staff on fixed-term contracts less favourably than staff on comparable permanent posts - they have the same terms and conditions other than the
permanent/fixed-term nature of the appointment.

Daisey Cheyney


Published in The Badger Feb 2007
http://www.thebadgeronline.co.uk/