University employers and union should discuss end to marking boycott – minister

Education minister Robert Halfon has called on university employers and the University and College Union to resume talks and end the “unacceptable” marking assessment boycott.

Members of the UCU at more than 140 universities across the UK have refused to mark exams or assessments since April 20 in a dispute over pay and working conditions.

The UCU and Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) held talks in July, culminating in the release of a joint statement which described the meeting as “constructive, although there is still significant ground to be covered”.

However, Mr Halfon described negotiations as having “broken down” in his letter to the UCU and the UCEA on Sunday.

He said he was “deeply concerned” about the impact of the marking and assessment boycott on students.

“It is unacceptable that students, many of whom have already suffered significant disruption to their studies over recent years, face further disruption and uncertainty,” he said.

“This disruption is particularly damaging to those students who are due to graduate and looking to enter the jobs market or progress to further study.”

He said action that damages students’ prospects is “the wrong thing to do”.

The UCEA previously said it is willing to support an independent exercise to establish the “factual position” on the sector’s finances, following differing views over what level of pay the universities can afford.

The UCU and the UCEA have been contacted for comment.