At the end of this post is the text of a letter that we suggest that you distribute to your students so that they understand why we are taking industrial action on Thursday 6th February. We have now had sufficient pledges of support to be able to extend the picket at Docklands to cover the afternoon period in addition to the morning period. This strike is a joint action with UNISON and UNITE and is in support of the pay claim. It is very important that we show our collective unity on the picket line, not only because of the pay issue, but also over the very real threat of compulsory redundancies at UEL . Please make sure that you come to the picket line.
Pickets will be arranged to cover both Stratford and Docklands campus. Please contact your UCU school representative to let them know which picket duty slot you will be attending. Our thanks to all of those who have contacted us so far.
Pickets on each site will be at:
- Docklands: 8.30-10.30; 10.30-12.30; 12.30-2.30 Cyprus DLR and Car Park Barrier.
- Stratford: 8.30 – 11 Main Entrance, Cedars Road Car Park entrance (Main), Cedars Road Car Park (Mini), Ferns Road Car Park.
In order to fulfil legal requirements, employers have been provided with statistical information about UCU members taking industrial action, but not individual names. Members are under no obligation to inform management in advance as to whether they will be taking part in strike action or action short of a strike. If asked after the event whether they took part in strike action, members are advised to answer truthfully – our collective action is stronger if those who took action tell management that they did so.
You are advised not to inform your Dean or Director in advance whether or not you will be taking part in the strike, only answer a direct question from your Dean or Director after the event.
In relation to rescheduling of teaching sessions, members who take strike and lose pay as a result do not have to make up the work at a later date. You withdraw your labour for the duration of the strike and the employer deducts pay for the same period. The point of taking the industrial action is to cause disruption in order to persuade the employers to return to negotiations. If you are asked to reschedule any work, including teaching sessions, you should only do so if it is clear that your pay will be reinstated.
For answers to frequently asked questions regarding strike action please see http://uel.web.ucu.org.uk/2013/10/28/strike-faqs-and-guidelines-on-picketing/
If you need to talk to someone from UCU then please see the list of contact details for officers and school UCU reps at http://uel.web.ucu.org.uk/contact-us/
Finally please make sure that you come to the picket line. It is very important that we show our collective unity on the picket line.
Letter to students below
For and on behalf of UCU
Steve Martin
Branch Secretary
———-
FAIR PAY AND FAIR TREATMENT
Dear student,
I am writing to tell you that I am supporting my trade union UCU’s campaign for fair pay for university staff. My union has tried for months to negotiate with the university employers but they refuse to increase their 1% pay offer.
In response the union has called a series of strikes and, regrettably, this may mean that some lectures or classes will be cancelled again over the coming weeks as we conduct either full day or two hour strikes. Taking action is always done with a heavy heart but we believe we have good reasons to do this.
One reason why members of staff are so angry is that while tuition fees for students have risen and risen, the value of our salaries has fallen by 13% since 2009.
You may, rightly, wonder where your money is going. The answer is that universities are sitting on a collective surplus of £1bn, and the only people getting decent pay increases are those at the top.
A second reason why strike action will be escalate particularly at UEL is the aggressive stance taken by management over the 2 hour strike. They are among only 10% of employers in the sector who have decided to dock a full day’s pay instead of the 2 hours. This is an aggressive move against the hard working staff at UEL and completely unreasonable and disproportionate.
UCU has stood together with students in the past to oppose increases in tuition fees because we believe that education should be a right not a privilege. Staff at this institution marched with side by side with UEL students in protests and lobbied government on behalf of students.
I hope that you will feel able to support myself and my colleagues as we fight for a fair deal for university staff.
If you do wish to support our campaign, please email the Vice Chancellor, Professor John Joughin, directly here j.j.joughin@uel.ac.ukto ask him to:
1) Ask UCEA to return to the table and negotiate a settlement to this dispute so that your education in not impacted on any further.
2) Change his mind about docking more than 2 hours pay as this will escalate action which will further disrupt your learning.
We ask you to do this urgently.
Best wishes,
[insert name]