University Statement on UCU ballot on Industrial Action

23 Nov 2015

It is disappointing that, against a backdrop of significant progress being achieved through voluntary severance and during an on-going dialogue, UCU decided to ballot their members on industrial action

We believe that industrial action – supported by less than a third of UCU members and representing less than 5% of the University workforce* – would not only prove damaging to students and the University, but would also jeopardise our chances of accomplishing necessary change through constructive dialogue and agreement. 

A generous voluntary severance package has been offered to all of the 37 staff who had been on the Redeployment Register and we are pleased to report that all of these staff have either been offered redeployment to other roles in the University or have accepted voluntary severance. Applications for an equally generous voluntary severance scheme in IT Services closed last month and we are pleased to report that, following an initial review of applications, we are hopeful that we can achieve the target reduction in existing roles in this area through the voluntary severance route.

The University is committed to dialogue with the three campus trades unions and is willing to meet with them to discuss these issues. We have held more than a dozen meetings with the campus trades unions over the past six months, including two meetings where ACAS was invited to conciliate. All changes involving staff undertaken by the University are given very careful and serious consideration. The University is committed to ensuring these processes are conducted fairly and transparently and will always seek to first explore opportunities through redeployment and voluntary severance for the avoidance of compulsory redundancies.

* University of Manchester UCU has 1,756 members, 560 (31.9%) of whom voted in favour of strike action. The University of Manchester has 12,125 employees