You will have seen today an all staff email from the Vice Chancellor about the dispute. UCU members heard from negotiators that the negotiations have not just ‘paused’ for UCU members to be consulted. UCU negotiators reported that they have explored every possibility of resolving the dispute particularly over workload allocation but it was clear that the management position was not moving despite what the VC’s message today says and is unacceptable to UCU negotiators. Negotiators made clear at the meeting that if members agree with their negotiators they must take action (demonstrative and industrial) to persuade management of the need to alter the university’s negotiating position.
Thanks to everyone who sent apologies and messages of support for the negotiators’ position; this was very important. If you would like to get involved with building for concerted strike action in September in your School please contact us. If you have any comments about the dispute or the proposal in relation to workload allocation at UEL please talk to your School Rep, contact Rae Beaver (Chair), or reply to this email. We had some interesting suggestions for non-strike action to accompany strike action, which we will follow up on, and we welcome any further suggestions. We will hold a meeting at the start of the academic year to discuss an escalating plan of action. Time to fight back.
For and on behalf of UCU @ UEL Branch Committee
University and College Union UCU