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London Met UCU Chair Speaks Out on Issues of Working Conditions and Pay

The Chair of London Met UCU has spoken out on the working conditions and pay of University staff, disputes which have caused strike action across the country in the past few months. 

Christina Paine said:  “What we have now is a system where business runs the day, and the demands of business are the things that have led to a lot of the crises that we have.” 

“To take strike action for a lecturer is a really, really difficult thing.” 



Another contentious issue in the ongoing dispute is the use of zero hours contracts, something which Chirstina believes hinders professional development: "you’re not actually allowed to do research, you’re not allowed to contribute to the rep." 

"All of these things that are progressions in career, we’re just not allowed to do."

Christina explained:  "We wouldn’t have to take this action unless we absolutely had to, because we’re fighting for a future for you [university students] and for higher education in general.”   
 

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