Strike action on 31 October 2013
24 Oct 2013
The University has been formally notified by the three campus trade unions, UCU, UNISON and UNITE that they will be taking strike action on Thursday, 31 October 2013. UCU has also confirmed that their members will be “working to contract” from 1 November 2013.
Whilst recognising the rights of individual members of staff to take strike action, it is the University’s intention to endeavour to maintain normal operations on Thursday, 31 October 2013 in order to safeguard the interests of students and also of staff and other stakeholders.
The University will manage this situation in a spirit of collegiality by respecting the integrity and professionalism of all our staff. We will determine if a member of staff has engaged in industrial action only by asking them and by trusting them to inform their line manager that they have taken such action.
The University will expect all members of staff who do not indicate to their line manager that they have taken industrial action to discharge all their normal responsibilities as employees.
In the event that lectures or seminars need to be cancelled as a consequence of the strike action, Schools have been instructed to provide an early and clear communication to affected students, including details of when any lectures or seminars, for example, will be reorganised and rescheduled.
The University is entitled to withhold pay for staff who take strike action and it has been decided to deduct pay at 1/260th of annual salary for each day of industrial action taken. Staff will be informed when the deduction will be made.
It is possible that there may be some picket lines on the campus on Thursday, 31 October 2013. The purpose of any picket line is to pass on information - in a peaceful manner - about the reason for the strike action. We expect all pickets to behave in a respectful way to their colleagues who are attending work. Refusal or failure to cross a picket line is not an acceptable reason for a day’s absence.
Karen Heaton
Director of Human Resources