Strike spreading in universities
Union says one in two lecturers is not teaching as higher education minister defends reforms.
HIGHER Education Minister Valérie Pécresse has said she will not step away from reforms despite a growing strike among university teaching staff.
A spokesman for the main teaching union for higher education institutions, the Snesup-FSU, said that only 50% of staff were now working.
They are protesting against reforms to their status which will allow the presidents of universities to decide how they should split their hours between teaching and researching.
The national students’ union Unef has called for a strike and protests on February 10.
Socialist Party leader Martine Aubry has called on the government to hold a moratorium on the reforms.
Ms Pécresse said university presidents had a responsibility and should reassure staff at their universities.
The government wants greater autonomy for universities, which were previously subjected to a high amount of central control on funding and staffing issues.
Teaching unions fear that the reforms have placed too much power in the hands of university presidents.
Staff at several universities have voted to strike including those in Lyon, the Institut d'Etudes Politiques d'Aix-Marseille , Toulouse, Clermont Ferrand-2, Montpellier-3, Bordeaux-3, Nantes and Strasbourg among many cities.
Photo: Jastrow
