Leeds Beckett University UCU: hourly paid lecturers petition

Stamp out casual contracts at Leeds Beckett: our hourly paid lecturers deserve decent contracts

Hourly paid lecturers (HPLs) play a crucial role at Leeds Beckett University yet work on contracts that are precarious with no security of income or employment from one year to the next. Figures supplied to UCU show that in 2017/18, 370 HPLs taught a total of over 31,000 hours.  Without them the university simply could not function and many courses would cease to run. A survey carried out last year by UCU at the university demonstrated that many HPLs have considerable lengths of service and yet feel hugely undervalued. In addition, at least a third carry out work above their paygrade by, for example, taking on module leadership.

UCU have submitted a claim to permanently transfer all hourly paid lecturers teaching a minimum of 110 hours for two consecutive years onto permanent 0.2 contracts.  Management’s response currently falls far short of our claim, offering to make permanent only some HPLS working above 200 hrs. a year.  This would leave over 90% of HPLs in the same precarious positon that they are currently in. The university cannot keep exploiting the goodwill and professionalism of such a large body of its own staff. Please sign our petition to call on the university to meet our claim.