Dijkgraaf finds temporary contracts 'painful'
It is 'painful' that some researchers and lecturers have to string together temporary contracts for twelve years, says minister Robbert Dijkgraaf. But he is not their employer and can only do something indirectly.
Image: Pixabay
Sleepless nights, anxiety attacks and physical complaints: these are the consequences of temporary employment contracts. This has been established by the university action group Casual Academy. The group interviewed about thirty researchers and lecturers at six Dutch universities about the consequences of temporary contracts and poor employment practices. Also the AOb hammers for years on the harmful consequences of flexible jobs.
I think it is important that researchers work in a healthy and socially safe working culture
The investigation report appeared last November. GroenLinks and SP asked parliamentary questions. What does the minister think of the stories, for example about long-term work with temporary contracts? Can he change the law to help these investigators?
He does not seem to be planning to, according to Dijkgraaf's answers. The universities and research institutes are the employer, the minister underlines, and he alone is responsible for the system. All he can do is bring 'peace and space' into the system.
incentive
Dijkgraaf points to the 200 million euros for national 'sector plans', with which the universities must also increase the number of permanent jobs. He has also earmarked 300 million euros for starters and incentive grants, intended for researchers with a permanent contract. The minister believes that this can also be an incentive.
Undesirable
“I find the negative effects of temporary contracts undesirable,” said Dijkgraaf. “I think it is important that researchers work in a healthy and socially safe work culture, in which they have the best opportunity to develop.”
He also acknowledges that temporary contracts can contribute to the workload and that it can affect the quality of education if a program makes extensive use of
teachers with a temporary contract. Partly for this reason, the minister writes, personnel policy is assessed by education inspector NVAO.
More temporary contracts
Proportionately, the share of temporary appointments at the university is increasing. Professors and associate professors are not affected by this. Meanwhile, 30 percent of university lecturers are also on a temporary contract; in 2005 it was less than 20 percent. But 'other' lecturers and researchers in particular are increasingly employed on a temporary basis.
“The effect of the recent (CAO) agreements and actions in academic education aimed at more permanent contracts is not yet visible in the figures,” says Dijkgraaf.
De AOb is pushing for more permanent jobs.
