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ACADEMICS at Cardiff University have reacted angrily to threats made by the employer to make 100 per cent deductions from salaries over the marking boycott.
The UCU strike committee at the university is meeting tomorrow to plan its response to what it calls punitive sanctions against the union’s marking and assessment boycott.
The action short of strike follows a wave of industrial action across the university sector in support of the union’s pay claim.
The row erupted publicly on social media as angry academics at Cardiff University reacted to a letter sent to all staff threatening to make salary deductions.
UCU Cardiff University branch media spokesman Andy Williams said: “Our members were feeling very uncertain, and unsure about participating in the marking and assessment boycott up until these threats were made.
“We’re still feeling very bad about its likely effects on students, but the overriding emotion now is anger at this bullying behaviour.”
According to UCU, universities across Britain have made similar threats and the union claim this is being co-ordinated as a response to the marking and assessment boycott.
The university said: “It is the policy of Cardiff University to withhold pay of staff who participate in industrial action and we reserve the right to withhold 100 per cent of pay from any member of staff who participates in both strike action and action short of strike.
“However, it has been decided that, in the first instance, we will withhold 50 per cent of pay at a daily rate of 1/365th of annual salary from the date on which the staff member begins to take part in this form of action.
“The payment of salary for the remaining 50 per cent is discretionary and is conditional on all other contractual responsibilities being met on a voluntary basis by staff.”