I am chair of the Joint Consultative Forum (JCF), through which we work with our campus trade unions. I wanted to give you an update about forthcoming industrial action, as well as some significant ongoing work with all the trade unions that was successfully negotiated this summer.
Professor Colin Bailey, our Principal, wrote to you on 25 October to tell you that the University and College Union (UCU) had achieved another mandate for industrial action at 150 participating universities, including Queen Mary. This industrial action is about the same issues as previous rounds (pay and working conditions, and the USS pension scheme).
Whilst our positive work with local union colleagues on key issues continues as discussed below, I’m sorry to tell you that UCU has now confirmed there will be three days of strike action on Thursday 24, Friday 25, and Wednesday 30 November 2022, and continuous action short of a strike (ASOS), commencing Wednesday 23 November.
Our policies in relation to industrial action remain, and are in place to protect our students’ education and experience. They can be found here in our FAQs. If you have any questions relating to the policies or their implementation, please contact your line manager or strategic HR business partner.
While we continue to hope for a nationally-negotiated settlement with UCU, based on a realistic assessment of what is possible for the sector, we continue to work constructively with our local UCU and other campus trade unions on agreed areas of mutual interest.
Indeed the JCF will hear more on progress at its next meeting in December. To remind you all, as part of our agreement to end the last round of industrial action called by UCU, we committed to joint work on career pathways, pay gaps and workload. That work has begun. I am also pleased that UCU has recognised the 21 per cent increase in London Weighting pay for staff on grades 1-7 which we implemented last month.
I will keep you updated on progress with the joint work with our campus trade unions. If you have any questions about the forthcoming industrial action, please see our FAQs or contact your line manager or strategic HR business partner.
Sharon EllisChief Operations Officer