UCU industrial action
27 Nov 2019
Latest information for staff
Please find below an update for colleagues regarding the ongoing industrial action by UCU.
We fully recognise how important pay, pensions and working conditions are to our staff. Please see our statement on this.
Pay and pensions update
Pay and pensions are negotiated nationally. We are in frequent contact with Universities UK (UUK) that negotiates over USS pensions, and the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), which deals with pay.
UCEA representatives met today with UCU to enable dialogue on the issues currently in dispute. A statement has been published on their website.
We share UCU’s concern about the gap in pay between male and female staff and between white and ethnic minority staff. This is a concern that we are working hard to address. All staff are paid the same for doing the same job irrespective of gender or ethnicity. We are taking action to address the gender and BAME pay gaps. For instance, we hold national accreditation for Athena SWAN and the Race Equality Charter Mark, and we are among only 3% of employers to report on our BAME pay gap.
We do not use zero-hours contracts at the University and only on a very limited basis through University of Manchester Catering (UMC) Limited. We are a Living Wage Accredited Employer.
We recognise the difficult choice that our staff are facing and we thank those who will continue to work in the interests of our students and those who will do all they can to limit the impact on our students.
The University will continue to do everything it can to minimise the impact on students.
Industrial action on campus
We wish to remind staff that the Government’s Code of Practice says that pickets and their organisers should ensure that in general the number of pickets does not exceed six at any entrance to, or exit from, a workplace. We would like to remind people that they should not obstruct the entrances to buildings and that students and colleagues have the right to cross picket lines.
The University has issued a joint statement with the Students’ Union on the current situation . While the University and the Students’ Union do not agree on every aspect, we stand together in our determination to ensure that the impact on current students is minimised.
Human Resources have published information about pay deductions for UCU members who are taking strike action.
Other national updates
- A statement was published last week by UUK on the latest pension negotiating position.
- Alistair Jarvis, Universities UK Chief Executive, has written for Research Professional
- There was also a feature on the Today Programme (from 49 minutes).
Further information