Quinn says No to AUT

The Vice Chancellor has claimed that it will be business as usual at the University despite the continuing Association of University Teachers (AUT) industrial action.

But with final exams only a few weeks away many students are concerned that they will not be able to graduate in June as planned.

Peter Quinn, Deputy President of the Students' Union has called in the AUT to end their action, he said , "At this moment of time thousands of students are preparing for exams with no knowledge of whether there will be an exam to sit. This adds unfair pressure on students who are already under immense stress in the run up to their final exams. Staff Union’s have no right to use the exam system as an industrial weapon at the expense of students and their future careers. I call upon university staff to consider their students who are potentially the real victims of this dispute”.

When The Gown put this to the AUT, their general secretary, Sally Hunt said "We share the concerns, fears and anger of students that the pay dispute is being dragged out. We are not surprised that they are finding the boycott difficult, so are AUT members. It was, and remains, a last resort in a fight for fair pay. We note and welcome students' continued support for our pay claim and, like them, hope the dispute can be resolved as soon as possible."

Due to the huge costs involved in graduation preparations it seems unlikely that the AUT will continue their action into June, but thus far there is no of wavering.