Thread: Lots of the reasons for striking focus on students & teaching. This is important. But there are university workers doing lots of other important work, including research. 68% of researchers are on fixed-term contracts, many for 1 or 2 years & it's hard-going... #UCUstrike
1. You do the research job that is in the job outline, but on top of that you MUST also do a number of things to get a new job. Just doing the job listed in the description (even if you're a legend at it) does not get you a renewal or a new contract/project at the end #UCUstrikes
2. You must work on publications, lots of them. Some linked to your current research project, former PhD or the multitude of research projects you've worked on before. That is, just because your research contract finishes on a project, doesn't meant the project work finishes.
3. Depending on your PI & the grant you are on sometimes you can carve out some space to write during your contracted hours. Often this is not the case. Or at the other end, a dodgy PI expects you to do all the work & then take the credit #UCUstrike
4. You continue to work on publications, KE, etc well after a project has finished. So in practice for me, I'm spinning multiple plates all the time, different research outputs, different topics, different publications. Every time I get a new research job, I simply add to this.
5. You must write grants or postdoc applications & bring money in to the uni. Sometimes this could lead to a follow on temporary contract (such as a post-doc), often it is a smaller amount. You end up working on this new, mini-project & the research money increases your workload.
6. You must always be looking for and applying for 'better jobs'. That includes longer fixed-term contracts, or an open-ended contract. Application processes take a long time, & for me this is often evening & weekend work once my toddler is asleep. Long nights. #UCUstrike
7. You must (if possible) take on teaching duties too. These are not written into your work contract & if you are a full-time researcher you cannot be paid for the work. However, it is expected that you should gain considerable teaching experience to get an open-ended lectureship
8. There is more and more Knowledge Exchange and Impact work expected within research projects & from individual researchers. We all have to be interdisciplinary, collaborate with non-academic partners, & communicate to multiple audiences. 'Research work' is expanding
9. No one sits down & looks at who is doing what in the school & says, wow, look here. She's doing all this, let's value & keep her. This kind of work & people planning does not happen. And workloads spiral because of the knock-on effects of having lots of temp workers #UCUstrike
10. To get an open-ended contract you also need to be world-leading or 'front of the field'. This means whatever an institution wants it to mean. You might need to write a book or undertake visiting placements in prestigious universities (or be a tall man with a posh accent?)#UCU
11. You have to time everything right so that you are eligible for some of these activities within the timeline of your temporary contract. Miss a funding window & that's it. Miss a big conference & you've no institutional support. Get pregnant & you're screwed. #UCUstrike
