Plan ready for UU employees in uncertainty
Utrecht University (UU) has a plan ready to help employees who have run into problems due to the corona crisis. In addition to the wage margin agreed in the collective labor agreement, the university is making extra millions available. “This is exactly as it should be. Hopefully other universities will follow soon ”, says AObsector director Donald Pechler.
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One of the appointments the latest collective labor agreement was that universities reserve 0,45 percent - in total about 20 to 21 million euros - of the available salary scope to accommodate employees with a temporary contract who have been squeezed by the corona crisis. This may be because their research has been at a standstill for months, but their contract is now ending without the research being completed. The collective labor agreement negotiators want universities to come up with a plan for these employees in the short term.
Matching
That plan is now in place at UU. The university does more than is laid down in the collective labor agreement. The university should release 1,6 million euros from the collective labor agreement. Joep van den Dikkenberg, who works at the Faculty of Science, is a member of the UU local consultation with the board to discuss terms of employment and says that the university is contributing about 7 million euros.
“This means that the scheme can be expanded so that more PhD students, support and management staff, teachers and postdocs can make use of it. This week, employees can register and the university will assess who is eligible on a case-by-case basis. It has been well thought out, we are satisfied with the plan. ”
First step
Pechler says that the collective labor agreement scheme is a first step to motivate universities to do something for the affected group of employees. “The agreement from the salary margin does mean that it concerns employees with a temporary employment contract. By adjusting money, UU shows that they stand up for more groups than just the employees, for example also for those who graduate with a grant. ”
By matching money, UU shows that they stand up for more groups of employees
Millions
In total, UU is making 3 million euros (including the 1,6 million euros from the wage allowance) available for employees whose temporary contracts expire this year. Another EUR 3 million is intended for postdocs or PhD students who are in their third year of employment. Van den Dikkenberg: “The great thing is that the university is also allocating 2,9 million euros for workload relief. This is especially for the group of teachers, because the corona crisis has made the workload even higher. ”
Education management staff
Van den Dikkenberg refers to the support and administrative staff. “The scheme is also open to that, because many PhD students depend on support staff who help with their research. For example, from analysts who look at the data. They can also be appointed on a project basis - just like the PhD students - and therefore have to stay longer if research is delayed.”
AObsector manager Pechler hopes that other universities will follow soon. “Preferably before the summer recess, because many people are in uncertainty. The UU just started to implement it and shows that you can quickly reach agreements. ”
