Strike action on 30 November
28 Nov 2011
The University has been formally notified by two of the campus trades unions, Unison and UCU, that they will be taking strike action on Wednesday 30 November 2011.
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 Wednesday 30 November 2011 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 by deeming a member of staff to be engaged in industrial action only by asking them and 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 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 Wednesday 30 November 2011. The purpose of any picket line is to pass on in a peaceful manner information about the reason for the strike action and we expect all pickets to behave in a respectful way to their colleagues who are attending work. Failure to cross a picket line is not an acceptable reason for a day’s absence.
It is recognised that the wider TUC Day of Action taking place across the country on 30 November 2011 may adversely impact on the family or childcare responsibilities of some staff. Managers have been asked to view sympathetically requests for annual leave or family leave from staff not participating in the strike action who may be affected in this way.
Karen Heaton
Director of HR
-----
For information on the TUC march along Oxford Road on 30 November and its impact on traffic and public transport, see: