issue 1145 University Teachers Approve Strikes The Association of University Teachers voted for other actions less severe than (AUT) has voted to take industrial By Ed Sexton striking. The AUT claims that its mem• action, following a ballot of its mem• bers have not received the pay bers held last month. This will most increases that they are due, with the likely manifest itself as a one day strike General Secretary, David Friesman, later this month, which could affect commenting "vice-chancellors can pay lectures and exams for many students. themselves nearly 7% extra this year, The strike is the result of a failure to but offer their staff only half that reach agreement in the current pay amount, the more we do the less we dispute, which has gone on for several get." months. The debate on whether to go In late March the AUT authorised a ahead with the strike was due to be ballot of its members after rejecting held last Thursday, after Felix went to the 3% pay increase offered by the press. According to the AUT document University and Colleges Employers Asso• "Action for a fair deal" the most likely ciation (UCEA). Determined to pursue date for a 24 hour strike is Tuesday 25 a 10% pay increase, a ballot was May, but the text warns that "the Exec• announced for April, with a possible utive Committee is instructed to con• strike taking place at the end of May. sider calling further strike or strikes in In early April UCEA put forward their the early part of the next academic final offer of 3.5%, which was immedi• year". If the Council decides that a strike ately rejected by the AUT, and a ballot is unwarranted, action could include a of AUT members followed. reduction in University teacher activi• ties, such as an examination sanction, The results of the ballot were a boycott of admission procedures for announced at the AUT Council meeting w^mm students entering higher education in Scarborough, Yorkshire, last Wednes• Strikers from 1996 - similar scenes could hit Britain's universities later this month next Autumn, or a refusal to take part day 12 May. 58% of those voting said Photo: Archive in administration duties. they were prepared to strike, while 68% Transport Discount Matures Inside.. m London Transport has extended its stu• bying" were responsible. He also dent discount scheme to include By Ed Sexton praised Matt Hyde, ULU President, for Letters - Your voice 4 mature students. The new arrange• his leadership during the debate; "Matt ments, which will take effect at the and it appears that the resulting bad coordinated pretty much everything". Editorial - Comment 5 start of the next academic year, were publicity was an important factor in Not all student unions' wishes announced after a prolonged period of this month's decision. have been granted however. The new Columns- Westminster Eye 6 negotiations between fondon Trans• Another complaint concerned the card will only be available to full time port and colleges, headed by the Uni• lengthy process students had to go students, meaning that those taking ArtS - Sikh Kingdom at V&A 8 versity of London Union (ULU). David through to obtain the discount cards, masters courses on a part-time basis Hellard, ICU President, welcomed the with some students waiting several will not be eligible, and neither will stu• Film - Forces of Nature 10 decision, describing it as "sensible - it's weeks for their application to be' dents attending fondon colleges for brilliant! It had to be done." processed. Under a scheme to be one year as part of an exchange CameS -Actua Ice Hockey 2 12 From next autumn all full-time stu• tested experimentally at Imperial Col• program. dents will qualify for a 30% discount on lege, the new discount cards will be furthermore, there will be no com• MUSiC-Suede.- 'HeadMusic' 14 travelcards, including weekly travel- handed out directly by the student pensation for those who missed out cards, which were not covered under union, hopefully eliminating much of on the scheme this year. The price of Clubscene - coidic 18 the agreement reached last September the delay. the card is also rising, from £1 to £3. (see 'London Transport Announce Stu• Identifying the reasons for the Mr Hellard hoped that these problems Competition - Evian 22 dent Discount', Issue 1120). One of the change in attitude by London Trans• could be overcome in future negotia• major criticisms levelled at London port, Mr Hellard felt that a combination tions; "hopefully it will be the start of Sport - Rowing & football 23 Transport was that the scheme was of "pressure from student unions in many more discounts". prejudiced against mature students, London, a lot of complaints, and lob• CrOSSWOrd -bySheep 24 1 News 17 May 1999 Football's an Economist's Game On Thursday 6 May at 7pm, Water- try in such a way as for it to warrant stones held a panel discussion at the By Mansoor Choudhury regulation like the water or the tele• issue 1145 Management School regarding the com industries. For example, could Liv• future of football and its finances, higher the league position the greater erpool be said to have a monopoly on 17 May 1999 including whether or not it needed a the amount of revenue accrued from Liverpool games and thus need regu• public regulator. The panel featured sponsors, broadcasters and a growing lation, or were they merely one small Editor: td Sexton Patrick Harverson, a journalist from the fragment of a much larger entertain• Assistant Editor & Hlms: David Roberts Financial Times, as well as Dr Rogan ment industry? An illustration of this News Team: Andy Oforl, Gareth Taylor, Director of the Football was that if Liverpool put their prices up Morgan, Mansoor Choudhury Research Unit at Liverpool University. significantly, would the fans accept Music Editors: Dennis Patrickson Dr Stefan Szymanski and Tim Kuypers the increased costs or would they start & Jason Ramanathan were the other panel members and it going to Everton games? Mr Kuypers Arts & Books Editor: Helena Cocheme was their book, 'Winners and Losers: said that points to be considered on Games Editor: Gary Smith the Business Strategy of Football' the question of a regulator included Sports Editor: Gus Paul which was being promoted that day. what effect it may have on the quality Clubscene: Giles Morrison, Tony Banks MP, the Minister for Sport, of the game, since English clubs now Gurminder Marwaha & Joel Lewis was also due to be present but had to more than ever competed in a world• Photographic Editors: Jonas Lindsay & cancel his appearance. wide market, and whether any regu• Rachel Lrwln Dr Szymanski, a member of the lator would be worth the cost and the faculty at the Management School, burden. Monopolies and Mergers Commission and Mr Kuypers, discussed parts of Mr Harverson then brought Dr Tay• (MMC), in their report which rejected their book which used extensive sta• lor into the discussion. Dr Taylor was BSkyB's bid for Manchester United, tistical and documentary evidence to probably the most eloquent of the implied that there was a need for a illustrate how football works as a busi• In need of regulation? speakers present. Dr Taylor holds a football regulator to protect the inter• ness, and the techniques of business Photo: Archive PhD in primitive religion, which he ests of smaller clubs. Interestingly, strategy which explain why some clubs remarked was useful for his work in Labour MP Gerry Sutcliffe has begun are winners and others are not. Dr fan base. Despite this, football clubs football. Dr Taylor, like the others, did• preliminary moves in the House of Szymanski then noted that two basic show low profits since the costs of the n't seem to have any concrete views Commons to bring about a public foot• relations governed football. The first game in real terms are growing fast. on the form of any football regulator, ball regulator. was that the greater the wage expen• Mr Kuypers then took over. He but appeared to favour a quasi-gov• diture by a club, the higher its league examined the question as to whether ernmental body like the one operating position . The second was that the football could be classed as an indus• in the Netherlands. He said that the Candon Wins Comedy Semi-Finals For budding stand-up comedians, the the regulation pair of novelty acts - in best starting point is undoubtedly By David Roberts this case, a poet (with the kind of open-mic contests. Thus, throughout clever, amusing material that gets the year a massive number of people played his full set here last month. of a surprisingly high standard, with applause rather than laughs) and a girl enter the biggest and best such com• Indeed, his dominating approach, the vast majority receiving enough who played the recorder with her nose petition, the Daily Telegraph Open Mic which immedi• laughs to acquit (novel, as it's very rare to see variety Awards, and the best are invited to ately puts themselves well. acts on the circuit - however, as her act perform a short set as support to reg• would-be heck• Their styles var• was pretty dire, it's easy to see why). ular evenings on the comedy network. lers in their ied dramatically, Knocking out these unlikely con• Those who acquit themselves well are place, was the however, so tenders narrowed the field down to then selected to qualify for regional ideal opening whilst one or half-a-dozen good acts, all fairly similar semi-finals, where they compete for for such an two opted for in their style and delivery - indeed, the chance to go to the televised finals event - after all, traditional between them they shared many com• at the Edinburgh fringe - with the the acts are all stand-up style mon subject areas, with supermarkets chance to win £2000, spots at both the (by definition) delivery (in a and shopping popular themes.