Lecturers at London Metropolitan, one of Britain's largest universities, have called for a strike ballot and renewed their academic boycott in a dispute over new contracts. The university responded today with a statement criticising the union's "posturing".
Disagreement has been simmering for more than two years since the 28,000-student institution was created by the merger of London Guildhall and the University of North London. Relations between management and the lecturers' union Natfhe reached a new low when lecturers who refused to switch to a new contract received dismissal notices. Low morale among staff has been revealed by a union survey.
Industrial action was suspended by the union for talks under the auspices of the conciliation service Acas, which took place over eight weeks. But yesterday Natfhe said no progress had been made and it was time to "sort out the academic contracts dispute once and for all". The union said management had refused to budge from its preferred contract previously in force at UNL, which academics regard as too managerialist.
A meeting of Natfhe members at London Met yesterday voted for a ballot on industrial action and action short of a strike and to renew the academic boycott of the institution - calling on academics at other universities not to take part in conferences with London Met or to act as external examiners.
The head of the union's universities department, Roger Kline, said: "The university management made a mockery of Natfhe's efforts to find a conciliated solution at Acas. They seem set on conflict. Publicly funded assets like universities should not be managed in this provocative and self-damaging way. "
A spokeswoman for London Met said: "The university has been negotiating with Natfhe over many months and remains available for further discussion. For Natfhe to call for industrial action to achieve negotiations is farcical. The university has achieved a great deal since its creation in August 2002 and will not be distracted by further posturing by Natfhe."
