To: Open University vice-chancellor Professor Tim Blackman
Dear Professor Blackman,
We, the undersigned, ask the Open University to use its strength within the sector to push for negotiations and an end to the disputes over which UCU is currently taking strike action.
Under the current changes proposed by USS, benefits are set to fall catastrophically. Many scheme members face a cut in their retirement income of 30% or more. The last few years have seen a catalogue of errors, misjudgements, and poor governance within USS. As a result of the strike action in 2018, a Joint Expert Panel was set up by the employers and UCU, and the employers pledged to abide by its recommendations. Yet the lessons from that panel and the resulting Valuation Methodology Forum have been ignored by USS.
The decision by USS to undertake a valuation at the height of the pandemic in March 2020, when other options were allowed by the regulator, has been widely criticised and is now the subject of legal action by USS members. Martin Wolf, chief economics editor of the Financial Times, concluded (14 November 2021) that ‘the USS is more than properly funded’ and university staff ‘are the victims of unduly risk-averse decision making at the Universities Superannuation Scheme, under the influence of misconceived regulation.’
The proposed detrimental changes risk the failure of the entire scheme given they will drive members away. UCU has proposed a temporary ‘fix’ to resolve the current dispute and allow more time to develop an evidence-based valuation but the Open University rejected this out of hand on 3 February. We beg you to rethink. As one of the largest stakeholders in USS, the Open University has a duty to lead the effort to work with UCU and to find alternative solutions. We ask you to use your position to call for a new evidence-based valuation and a reform of USS governance to end this dispute.
Salaries in HE have fallen at least 17% against inflation since 2009. And pay is not equal, as the OU’s published pay gap figures show. As a community we want to see a pay uplift on all points, which will offer the highest proportionate benefit to the lowest paid. And we ask the university, in line with its social mission and commitment to social justice, to push the sector to commit to an action plan for closing the gender, race and disability pay gaps to zero.
The Open University has taken a national lead in moving Associate Lecturers toward permanent fractional contracts in 2022. However, a large proportion of other staff are still on short-term contracts and this figure shot up during the pandemic. Despite the health of the university’s finances, which ought to make long-term planning the norm, managers are constantly asked to hire temporary and agency staff.
As with the rest of the sector, OU staff members have had a significantly greater workload during the pandemic. Workload has been at ‘emergency’ levels since 2018 as shown in UCU’s workload survey and subsequent university ‘barometer surveys’. It has also been demonstrated through formal workload health and safety inspections by trade union health and safety reps focusing on workload. Despite this, the university stopped the joint workload working group and has over a number of years failed to ensure a sustainable staffing strategy.
Students are best supported by securely employed staff on fair pay who have can give their time and energy. The working conditions of staff are the foundation for student learning conditions. To live its values the Open University should take a leading role in pushing all parties back to the negotiating table on USS and the Four Fights, and use its clout to push for national measures to tackle pay gaps, precarious work and excessive workloads.
Urgent: We call upon Open University to resolve pension and pay disputes
This petition is now closed. Thank you for your support.
End date: Jul 11, 2022
Signatures collected: 1,499
1,499
Sara Pomfret
1,498
ben board
1,497
Elizabeth Watson
1,496
Kate Bunker
1,495
Lewis Sibanda
1,494
Philip Prescott
1,493
Lisa Crawford
1,492
Harry Wilcox
1,491
Prema Sagar
1,490
Adam Rutherford
1,489
Jamie Strusz
1,488
Samantha Gall
1,487
Andreas Kuersten
1,486
Vanessa Smith
1,485
claire johns
1,484
Kate Hunter
1,483
Marialuisa Spinelli
1,482
Christine Buller
1,481
Sophie Peiffer
1,480
Jennifer Callebaut
1,479
John Newsinger
1,478
Jeremy Cooper
1,477
Lewis Mates
1,476
Olwyn O'Malley
1,475
Sarah Chyriwsky
1,474
Ezgi Kucukkilic-Stephens
1,473
Rebecca Forsey
1,472
Rosie Watson
1,471
Steve Penny
1,470
Gemma Cochrane
1,469
Ben Trupia-Melluish
1,468
Claire Maguire
1,467
Avi Boukli
1,466
Mario Rodriguez
1,465
Antonietta Parrish
1,464
bernadett dunn
1,463
Nahid Ditta
1,462
Sara Munro
1,461
Barbara Michalik
1,460
Elizabeth Parry
1,459
Gary Cannell
1,458
Jennifer Lucas-Hill
1,457
Jesita Patel
1,456
Charlotte Luckhurst
1,455
Adam Fielding
1,454
Aoife ONeill
1,453
Safia Ali
1,452
Joanna Mirek-Tooth
1,451
Jane Cobb
1,450
Mhairi Spring
1,449
Liz Williams
1,448
Daisy Niblett
1,447
Merryjean Burgess
1,446
Mark Thompson
1,445
Alexandra Parks
1,444
Stacey Preston
1,443
Virginia Boyero
1,442
Jenni Collins
1,441
Heather Klum
1,440
Qian Kan
1,439
Katie Grace
1,438
James McLaren
1,437
Sarah Scarfe
1,436
Matthew Moran
1,435
Russell Stead
1,434
John Pierre-Madigan
1,433
Marjan Ajevski
1,432
Karen Wilson
1,431
Carmel Collins
1,430
Tracy Cooling
1,429
Clare Kane
1,428
Thalia Bride
1,427
Janet Turner
1,426
Camila Silva Ribeiro
1,425
Joy Dearden
1,424
Carol Eales
1,423
Curtis Leonard
1,422
Lauren Armstrong
1,421
Ben Cleaver
1,420
Lynn Mathieson
1,419
TC O'Neil
1,418
Dawn Evelyn
1,417
Elizabeth Peters
1,416
Jacqueline Gruhn
1,415
Caroline Doran
1,414
Jon Buss
1,413
Christine Stead
1,412
LUANA BERTANI
1,411
Richard Gray
1,410
Patrick Swannell
1,409
Marian Galvin
1,408
Nightingale Debra
1,407
Sara Flemons
1,406
John Smith
1,405
Marie Thomas
1,404
Christopher Cox
1,403
Anne Lane
1,402
Sarah Meeks
1,401
John Taylor
1,400
Diane Taylor
1,399
Victoria Stead
1,398
Victoria Reina-Gil
1,397
Sabina Raileanu
1,396
Monique Ryan
1,395
Milana Alsabekova
1,394
Debra Wiod
1,393
Andy Myers
1,392
Nicola Le Gassick
1,391
Andrew Hollyhead
1,390
Karen McLaughlin
1,389
Chelsey Jay
1,388
Sebastian Soar
1,387
Hazel He
1,386
Samuel Cookson
1,385
Julia Milne
1,384
Iain McLean
1,383
Gerardine Dunn
1,382
Susan Spencer
1,381
Tyrone Donnelly
1,380
Shauna McCluskey
1,379
Tracy Rabaiotti
1,378
Rachel Sharples
1,377
Richard Sockell
1,376
Fiona Barnes
1,375
Diego Iglesias Febrero
1,374
Mark Dorrian
1,373
Thelma Ingram
1,372
Kimberley McDermott
1,371
Nicola McDougall
1,370
Peigi Macsween
1,369
Tomasz Stupnicki
1,368
Emeline BENNETT
1,367
Itziar Irigoyen Puerta
1,366
Alex Egerton
1,365
Lucy Drake
1,364
Louise Scott
1,363
Bruno Vecchi
1,362
Philippa O’Connell
1,361
Daniel Sloan
1,360
Luke Edmeads
1,359
John Williams
1,358
Mark Findlay
1,357
Fiona Duncan
1,356
Ross Hopkins
1,355
Sheraya Fourie
1,354
Darrell Reid
1,353
Kathryn Parsons
1,352
Natalie Roberts
1,351
Caroline Devine
1,350
Alex Droupin
1,349
Martin Reynolds
1,348
Francis Duff
1,347
Michael Vaughan
1,346
Bethany Rogers
1,345
Helen Wilford
1,344
Anna Bane
1,343
Maria Aristeidou
1,342
Frank Stevenson
1,341
Sandra Silipo
1,340
Lucy Wallace
1,339
Hélène Lovell
1,338
Carmen Murray
1,337
Maria Boys
1,336
Matthew Stiles
1,335
Joanna Courtnay
1,334
Michele De Broglio
1,333
Jacqui Bell
1,332
robbie bentley
1,331
Paul McMichael
1,330
John Fitzgerald
1,329
Chris Harrison
1,328
Alexander Philip
1,327
Philip O'Sullivan
1,326
Clare Wood
1,325
Anne Lebailly
1,324
Maria Leedham
1,323
Debby Hing
1,322
sharon hudson
1,321
Antonia Saunders
1,320
Clare Daly
1,319
Siobhan Campbell
1,318
Hannah Chinnery
1,317
Nicola McIntyre
1,316
Sinead Eccles
1,315
Karen Hagan
1,314
Thomas Martin
1,313
Jennifer Shepherd
1,312
Karen Kear
1,311
Leigh-Anne Perryman
1,310
Emma Barker
1,309
Angela Hamer
1,308
Kathryn Medien
1,307
Richard Greenwood
1,306
`jan currie
1,305
Aileen Brown
1,304
Amy Mason
1,303
Philip Downs
1,302
bob Watt (i am an OU pg student)
1,301
Kate Davies
1,300
Sarah Logan
1,299
Peter Devine
1,298
Giselle Tadman
1,297
Gillian Watt
1,296
Andreas Vossler
1,295
Emma McCaughan
1,294
DANIEL MCCAMPHILL
1,293
LYNN SCOTT
1,292
Evangelos Ntontis
1,291
Chris Radley
1,290
Graham Harvey
1,289
Justin Rogers
1,288
Rebecca Champion
1,287
Ian Macdonald
1,286
Matt Walkley
1,285
Jane Brown
1,284
David Gotts
1,283
Nicole Cook
1,282
James McDonald
1,281
Helen Coolen
1,280
Ashleigh-Rose Hewitson
1,279
Steven Brassington
1,278
Charlotte Guest
1,277
FRAZER PAYNE
1,276
Jessica Bartlett
1,275
Charlotte Mulliner
1,274
Sarah Armstrong
1,273
Guy Russell
1,272
Charlotte Brunt
1,271
Colum McKenna
1,270
Elizabeth Daniel
1,269
Robbie Paul
1,268
Caroline Thompson
1,267
Xaviere Hassan
1,266
Harriett Cornish
1,265
Sarah McDonald
1,264
Diana Fallon
1,263
Chris Sanders
1,262
Damian Dadswell
1,261
Chris Valentine
1,260
Rachel White
1,259
Peter Davidson
1,258
Cameron White
1,257
Lisa Hale
1,256
Vikram Mehta
1,255
Rachel Turner
1,254
Ryan McNeely
1,253
Jeanette Hall
1,252
Igor Kraev
1,251
Karen Mackay
1,250
Eric Linin
1,249
Zoe Marriott
1,248
Rehanat Kiyesola
1,247
Ian Cameron
1,246
Rob Grant
1,245
Frances Blow
1,244
Doreen Martin
1,243
Luke Moon
1,242
Fereshte Goshtasbpour
1,241
Deborah Wood
1,240
stephen middleton
1,239
Azra Culic
1,238
Romain Sacre
1,237
Charlene Butler
1,236
Andrew Cupples
1,235
Elizabeth Akehurst
1,234
Nela Smolovic Jones
1,233
Samantha Shave
1,232
Cerith Rhys Jones
1,231
john douglas
1,230
Susanna Campkin
1,229
Catherine Rolph
1,228
Noel Williams
1,227
Ela Tarnowska
1,226
Kerr Chana
1,225
Aristotelis Sourlis
1,224
Sylvia Muir
1,223
Michelle Oldale
1,222
Helen Bowes-Catton
1,221
Jeferson Araujo de Oliveira
1,220
Matthew Baptiste
1,219
Viki Soper
1,218
Yue Meng-Lewis
1,217
Despoina Filiou
1,216
Christine Brunton
1,215
Stephen Doran
1,214
George Frynas
1,213
Giacomo Carli
1,212
Louise Hunter
1,211
Claire Hinton
1,210
John Clarke
1,209
Anne Verries-Wade
1,208
Toa Giroletti
1,207
Holly Barratt
1,206
Natalie Ray
1,205
Gareth Davies
1,204
Jane Parry
1,203
Julia Cooke
1,202
Rizia Martin
1,201
Wendy Humphreys
1,200
Aaron Ward
1,199
T N
1,198
Michelle Williams
1,197
Charlotte Holman
1,196
Linda Hart-Jones
1,195
Holly Tighe
1,194
Nichols Kate
1,193
Kevin Pascoe
1,192
Alex Hutchinson
1,191
Verity Herbert
1,190
Anthony Johnston
1,189
Anitra Patrick
1,188
Rachel Goslin
1,187
dean ismay
1,186
S Hrycyszyn
1,185
Maxine France-Moon
1,184
Helen Hook
1,183
Alison Penn
1,182
Mark Brandon
1,181
Jane Bromley
1,180
Pallavi Anand
1,179
Michael Whitehead
1,178
Gemma O'Donovan
1,177
Frances Jenner
1,176
Jackie AndrewBarrett
1,175
Sarah Shelmerdine
1,174
Marie Hedon
1,173
Asrian Chur h
1,172
Maria Theresa Moerman Ib
1,171
Debbie Scott
1,170
Richard Holliman
1,169
Diane Hope
1,168
Katy Thomas
1,167
Thomas Keyton
1,166
ruth drage
1,165
Lauren Carpenter
1,164
Gillian Hinton
1,163
Mat Davies
1,162
Amy Jones
1,161
Kevin Haslam
1,160
Ellie Wood
1,159
barry patterson
1,158
Katie Hales
1,157
Ellie Jones
1,156
Robin Clarke
1,155
Page Munro
1,154
Amanda Rose
1,153
Jenni Osborn
1,152
Edwin Langley
1,151
Kate Symons
1,150
Deborah Knight
1,149
Duygu Bektik
1,148
Mustafa Bektik
1,147
Colin Chambers
1,146
Sean Scrivener
1,145
Andrew Potter
1,144
Shazia Hirschy
1,143
Alex Phillips
1,142
Katharine Julian Ryall
1,141
Andrew Curtis
1,140
Sarah-Jane Hofton
1,139
Katya Pigott
1,138
Jennifer Nesbitt
1,137
Iain Wood
1,136
Dean Hendy
1,135
Eileen Church
1,134
Nicola Tolcher
1,133
Lucy Hendy
1,132
Alison Mortiboy
1,131
Jenny Goldman
1,130
Liz Byrne
1,129
Richard Lowdon
1,128
Karen Angelosanto
1,127
Owain Smolovic Jones
1,126
Bill Alder
1,125
Wendy Chalmers
1,124
Robert Page
1,123
Mandy Moorhead
1,122
David Wield
1,121
David Evans
1,120
Hannah Lavery
1,119
Laura-Jane Leggett
1,118
Suzanne Newcombe
1,117
Claire Wotherspoon
1,116
Jackie Kleinot
1,115
Katie Cairns
1,114
Ed Krcma
1,113
Ben McKenna Slade
1,112
Kate Brookes
1,111
julie al-najar
1,110
Hazel Roberts
1,109
Aliza Russell
1,108
Alison Tucker
1,107
Julie Southcott
1,106
Nim Amrith
1,105
Nicola Ball
1,104
Andy Eagle-Weston
1,103
Hilary Koe
1,102
Michelle Amesbury
1,101
Jane Wilson
1,100
Leanne Lindsey
1,099
Laila Cryer
1,098
Leah Lynham
1,097
Karen White
1,096
Liza Barry
1,095
Callum Jones
1,094
Aaron Hayfield
1,093
Meg Hawkins
1,092
Sheetal Bharadia
1,091
Adrienne Golding
1,090
Maddie Buckland
1,089
Fiona Johnstone
1,088
Martyn Field
1,087
Alicia Townshend
1,086
Aimee Tidman
1,085
Maria Bryan
1,084
michelle aitken
1,083
Maria Ferebee
1,082
Andrew Gargett
1,081
Sandra Obradovic
1,080
Andrew Duncan
1,079
Julia Molinari
1,078
Ali Erginsoy
1,077
Natasha Dimonaco
1,076
Karen Lucas
1,075
Masa Bajc
1,074
Peadar Ó Braonáin
1,073
Ashley Carline
1,072
Frances O’Neill
1,071
Laura Hinton
1,070
Sukaina Haider
1,069
Craig Jones
1,068
Julieann Mclean
1,067
Julian Harty
1,066
Marcel Vige
1,065
Jon Hall
1,064
Anne-Marie Gallen
1,063
Lucy McGinty
1,062
Suzi Wylie
1,061
Liz Middleton
1,060
julie Buck
1,059
Alistair Daniel
1,058
Andrew Carr
1,057
Margaret Rouxel
1,056
andy elston
1,055
Poonam Dharni
1,054
Ian Howells
1,053
Lesley Howells
1,052
Deepak Sharad
1,051
Susie West
1,050
Neha Bhardwaj
1,049
Krish Sharma
1,048
Ricardo S
1,047
Gideon Brough
1,046
Janet Vary
1,045
Helen Kirkness
1,044
Maureen Sharpe
1,043
Lisa Wall
1,042
nick wall
1,041
Elizabeth Douglas
1,040
Naomi Barker
1,039
Gillian Beattie-Smith
1,038
Ish Sharma
1,037
Ekta Dharni
1,036
Winston Graham
1,035
Richard Law
1,034
Becky Devlin
1,033
Raj Meetoo
1,032
Vikash Mohan
1,031
Heidi Jerovshek-evans
1,030
Krishan Meetoo
1,029
Nimarta Dharni
1,028
Anna Sorrell-Banks
1,027
Kavita Joshi
1,026
Caroline Tagg
1,025
Archana Dharni
1,024
michelle Begley
1,023
Joe Hill
1,022
Viveke Sharma
1,021
Tina Mohan
1,020
Michelle Gee
1,019
Ajay Rai
1,018
Linda Mcpake
1,017
Kim Chin
1,016
Benjamin Bland
1,015
Kevin Biderman
1,014
Bhavesh Dharni
1,013
Vishal Dharni
1,012
Neil Stammers
1,011
Carla Benzan
1,010
Debbie Parker Kinch
1,009
Linda Wilde
1,008
Lora Scott
1,007
Clara Guillen Marin
1,006
Amanda McGarry
1,005
Hèdè Cavell
1,004
Marina Cantarutti
1,003
Katie Donington
1,002
Matthew Balme
1,001
Stephen Davidson
1,000
Valerie Pearce
