Industrial action: Important information
As many colleagues are aware, the University is facing a period of industrial action held by members of the University and Colleges Union (UCU) who represent Academic and Professional Services Staff grades 6 to 9. The University was notified by UCU on 5 November 2019 that the period of strike action would take the form of 8 days of strike action from Monday 25 November to Friday 29 November 2019 (5 days in week 9) and Monday 2 December to Wednesday 4 December 2019 (3 days in week 10). In addition, UCU notified of planned continuous Action Short of a Strike (ASOS) to begin on Monday 25 November 2019 and to terminate no later than 29 April 2020.
It is the University’s policy that for days of strike action, the University will withhold a day’s pay, calculated at 1/365th of annual salary.
For ASOS, the University reserves the right to withhold 25% of pay where there is a breach of contract. Colleagues taking ASOS are requested to make assessment, feedback and core scheduled teaching and learning activities the key priorities during this time. The University does not recognise partial performance and accepts full delivery of role at any time.
The University requests that colleagues declare their intention to take strike action using SuccessFactors (see guidance on how to do this). This provides the opportunity to declare individual days of strike action. Where declaration is ahead of the strike day, colleagues will have the choice to continue with pension contributions, or not to pay pension contributions, for each day of strike action. Members will also have the option to declare ASOS, during which pension contributions will remain. Heads of Department will be notified of the intention to take strike action and /or ASOS where it is self-declared through SuccessFactors.
Further information about the forthcoming industrial action and ASOS is available as a set of FAQs.
Stuart Croft
Vice-Chancellor
19 November 2019