'Set up research into structural overtime at universities'
The Labor Inspectorate must conduct an independent investigation into overtime at universities. On average, university employees work about 12 to 15 hours a week unpaid overtime. Professors and lecturers work the most overtime. It leads to stress, lack of sleep, physical and psychological complaints. Today the AOb, WOinAactie and the FNV with the inspectorate.
Picture: Type tank
Last December WOinAactie shouted in collaboration with the unions, university employees are required to report their structural overtime to the Social Affairs and Employment Inspectorate (SZW) - known as the Labor Inspectorate. Within two weeks the counter stood at 719 reports. “It is shocking how quickly the reports came in,” says Marijtje Jongsma, AOb-member of scientific education and works at Radboud University. “Especially because the reach of the call was only a few thousand employees. Employers often dismiss the overtime as incidents, but this shows a structural problem. ”
It is shocking how quickly the reports came in
The educational organizations are presenting the Labor Inspectorate with their report containing the analysis of the reports today. Of the university staff who submitted a report, an average of 36 percent works more than stated in their contract. The overtime is highest among lecturers with a teaching task only and among professors: they work more than 45 percent more hours than for which they are appointed. This is followed by university (senior) lecturers with 36 percent. The overtime for PhD students and postdocs is about 30 percent.
Worse
“The workload has been exacerbated by the increased student numbers, a lack of administrative support, the publication pressure, the amount of assigned tasks and the number of hours that a university plans for tasks, such as education,” says Jongsma. The reporting hours call those hours 'unrealistic' and the educational organizations want the Labor Inspectorate to examine this specifically.
Those hours are mainly based on the budget, but not on the time that the attention and supervision of students actually takes
Willemien Sanders - co-author of the report - also noticed this when she was still working as a lecturer at Utrecht University. “Take the preparation for lectures. I really didn't have enough time for that. Only if you give the same lectures, you may succeed in the scheduled time. But you also have to read up, do new courses and adapt your lectures to new literature. Young teachers in particular spend more time on this. Those hours are mainly based on the budget, but not on the time that attention for and supervision of students actually takes,” says Sanders.
In addition, informal appointments caused stress. “You have to mark exams within ten days. That was such an unwritten agreement. It didn't matter whether you have thirteen or fifty students, but exams are often the peak times because then a new course block starts and you have to prepare for it. ”
Health complaints
The reports show that many university staff conduct research in their spare time. During the week they spend more time teaching. Sanders: “You are now being judged too much on output and publications, but not on commitment. It's a competition. ”
You are now judged too much on output and publications, but not on effort. It's a competition
All overtime has "serious consequences," says Jongsma. Almost half of the reporters have sleeping problems, are overtired or exhausted. More than half of the PhD students, postdocs, (university) lecturers experience stress and suffer from psychological complaints. Social contacts are also neglected. Jongma: “We want the inspectorate to look at the gray absenteeism at universities. These are employees who are sick, but do not report sick. In addition, we want an inventory to be made of how many employees suffer from burnouts. We think the size of this is much larger than is currently apparent. ”
Jongsma and Sanders hope that the report will prompt the Labor Inspectorate to investigate. In addition, structural investments are required from the cabinet. Jongsma: “The workload is a huge problem. In 2017 there were already plans of action to relieve the workload, but it is increasing rather than decreasing. The majority of those reporting do not think that their overtime will change in the coming year. ”
