Hogeschool Utrecht undermines the right to strike
Employees of the Hogeschool Utrecht who want to come to Malieveld on March 15, have to find solutions within their education team for lessons that have been canceled. “Education and research should not be hindered by this,” says Seger Pijnenburg, spokesperson for the Hogeschool Utrecht.
Image: Hogeschool Utrecht
The spokesperson announced that all directors of the HU institutes had been sent an email by Wilfred Brand, HR director of the HU. College magazine Trajectum quoted from the email: 'Education and research must not be hindered by possible participation of employees in this strike and we trust that solutions will be found within the teams.'
Need is missing
The university of applied sciences sees no reason to strike, Pijnenburg explains. “A collective labor agreement has recently been concluded. So there is no conflict, in that light there is no need to strike. Moreover, we are in line with the position of the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences (the umbrella organization of higher professional education boards, ed.). ”
HU employees who do want to come to The Hague must arrange this together with their colleagues. Pijnenburg: “Solutions could be that colleagues take over lessons or that lessons are moved. We assume that teams work well together in this. ”
De AOb together with FNV Education & Research and FvOv a strike proclaimed on March 15. The unions demand a total of 4 billion euros for all education. In specifically hbo money should be available for higher vocational education teachers so that their 'lowest' salary scale becomes 11 instead of 10. Career lines must also be shorter for educational support staff.
Infringement
An infringement of the right to strike AObsector manager Roelf van der Ploeg received the email from HU. “This HR director did not pay attention during the court to strike. The hallmark of a strike is that people suffer from it. I put this under the heading 'lack of experience'. In primary education you will not see boards saying that teachers should arrange replacement themselves. Striking is a right, it is normal and if you are a member of the union you will receive a strike benefit if wages are withheld. It's just nice that you report it in advance so that students don't come for nothing. ”
Jan Boersma of FNV Education & Research will also inform his members at the school that this is 'absolutely unacceptable'. Boersema is planning to contact the HU.
