Hours Slashed and No Pay in September (again) for Teaching Staff

Fixed Term Staff have their hours slashed, face no pay in September at all, and told of new terms and conditions around marking that could mean their pay could fall even further

The School of Business and Management (SBM) is placed in the top 8% globally by QS World University Rankings 2025 and is considered among the top destinations for Business & Management Studies in the UK. This year they have exceeded their undergraduate student recruitment targets.

Much of this teaching excellence is delivered to students by Teaching Associates and Teaching Fellows (119 in 2023) most of whom are on fixed term contracts despite having accrued years of continuous service. For the new academic year, some of these staff have just been told their hours have or could be reduced by up to 75 per cent even though the modules they are being removed from are still being taught. Recent communications sent to all TAs and TFs in the School also say that they will not be paid in September payroll and that allocated hours for marking is merely a ‘projection’ and that ‘this figure could go up or down depending on final student numbers, which will become clear in the coming weeks’. Nobody should be told, with little or no notice, that the income they rely on is being cut dramatically, or is likely to fluctuate so much they might not be able to pay their bills. If you think this is wrong and are a permanent member of staff in SBM (or any other School) please support your fellow colleagues by letting the branch committee, and your managers, know how you feel. If you are directly affected by these changes then please contact your local rep or email ucu-coordinator@qmul.ac.uk.

related: blogpost about staggered cuts and stealth redundancies