Strike Action Suspended at Sussex

Following very careful consideration of all the available information, the Branch Executive has suspended the planned strike action (and action short of a strike) scheduled for next week (21st, 23rd, 24th June).

The Branch decision is based on a number of factors, and in particular the significant progress made in the past week to avoid redundancies under statutory terms in the current round. The Branch has also received a response from the University which while not yet delivering a redundancy avoidance agreement does represent real movement towards establishing a set of protocols through which future financial challenges can be met. The Branch stresses that there is not yet agreement on these and that the decision to suspend immediate strike action does not represent an end to the dispute. The Branch judges, however, that time is now needed to pursue those discussions in a less confrontational atmosphere more likely to succeed in achieving its goals.

Many members remain deeply angered by the manner in which the University has pursued its Proposal for Change, and in particular the failure to explore as fully as possible genuinely voluntary means through which change could be achieved before proposing redundancies under statutory terms. The Branch remains absolutely resolute in its commitment to defending education and jobs, and avoiding statutory term redundancies at Sussex now or in the future.

Support for Middlesex

The following motion was passed unanimously by the Branch at yesterday’s General Meeting:

This branch condemns without reservation the suspension of a number of students and of Professors Peter Hallward and Peter Osborne [and Dr Christian Kerslake] by the management of Middlesex University, following their participation in a peaceful protest and teach-in against the closure of the Middlesex Philosophy Department. This action represents a fundamental attack on the rights of students and staff and Higher Education Institutions to engage in such peaceful protests. We call on the management of Middlesex University to reinstate these students and staff immediately.We also urge the management of Sussex University to join us in this call.

More information shortly on local matters!

Note: Dr Kerslake was added after the meeting when his suspension became known.

Motion for further action passed

At another well attended branch meeting today, members voted in favour of escalating action in defence of jobs at Sussex. In a separate motion, the Branch also gave support to the Sussex Six, students facing disciplinary hearings following the occupation in early March.

Regarding future action, members were clear that any action must be tightly targeted and instructed the executive to report back within 7 days with detailed plans. The Branch also called for a wider academic boycott of the University should the threat of compulsory redundancies not be withdrawn.

Full motions (as amended by the meeting) can be downloaded here.

Sussex Strike Day Images

Strike Day tomorrow – information for students

In an email circulated to students at the end of last week by management the following assertion was made about the negotiations with UCU and the other unions. In the email management claim:

“These consultations have resulted in substantial changes to the
University’s proposals.”

We beg to differ, and would like to point out that:

1. a reduction from 115 to (now) 112 redundancies (5 were added last week) is not substantial (and some of the reduction is because people have already left in the normal course of events…)
2. The School plans are barely changed (the largest change, the teaching-out provision in Life Sciences and Informatics, is an inevitable requirement and doesn’t change the underlying proposal).
3. History is still cutting areas of pre-1900 European and pre-1700 English history.
4. Staff in English are still facing redundancy because of what they used to teach.
5. The student adviser roles are still all going.
6. The UNISEX service is still under threat.
7. The creche is still under threat.
8. Jobs are still going in IT Services.
9. 5 out of 6 of the UCU executive are still at risk of redundancy.

Yes, there have been modest improvements in some of the mechanisms being used to get rid of 112 staff, but that’s not substantial (and indeed not adequate). Nor is it a change to the ‘proposal’.

We do not take strike action lightly, and when many of us will be out of work later this year giving up pay is  the last thing we want to do. We’ve been left with little choice in face of the intransigence of management who continue to spend 10s of millions on buildings while ignoring the voice of staff and students.

The picket lines will be up from 7.00am. The day ends with a march and rally in Brighton.

Strike Leaflet – official version

The official strike/action day flyer for Wednesday 5th is attached as a pdf

Strike Day Rally 5th May

Next Wednesday will see the largest day of action across the sector for many years. Sussex will be striking along with colleagues across London.

Join us at the picket and at the late afternoon event in Brighton. A march will set off from the Level at 4.30pm, arriving at The Old Ship (5.30 pm) where we will be holding a rally.

Chair: Jelena Timotijevic (UCU Brighton). Speakers to include:

Alasdair Hunter (National President of the UCU); Paul Cecil and Jim Guild (Chair and Secretary of the UCU at the University of Sussex); Tom Wills (President) and Syed Bokhiri from the University of Sussex Students’ Union; members of the University of Brighton Students’ Union; Sue Tribe (Adult and Continuing Education, Brighton); Tom Hickey (University of Brighton and National Executive UCU); Micheal O’Connell and Alison Kelly (Brighton City College); Michael Moran (Regional Official, UCU); …

… and prospective Parliamentary candidates who have been invited to give their views on the education cuts!

Further Strike Date Confirmed

Sussex UCU has confirmed that members will be taking further industrial action on Wednesday 5th May in support of their campaign to save over 100 jobs at the University. This follows a further rejection by management to engage in dispute resolution processes.

The one day strike next Wednesday coincides with national demonstrations in FE and HE colleges to highlight the threat to the education across the tertiary sector.

Report of General Meeting 20/4/2010

The Sussex UCU branch held another packed general Meeting yesterday at which the anger of members at the manner in which the Sussex management has conducted consultations was tangible.

The meeting was addressed by Tom Wills, President of the Students’ Union who signalled the support of Sussex students for the continuing staff campaign against jobs.

The Branch executive then set out the latest proposals from management, and acknowledged that although they provided some operational improvements they fell short of the core conditions which might lead to a settlement. The meeting was however asked to consider deferring industrial action to allow the branch negotiators further time.

During a lively debate, during which questions about the local conditions and national context were answered by the Branch and by Michael McNeil, National UCU Head of HE, the mood of the branch quickly became very clear. There was an overwhelming sense among members that any delay in action would be to the detriment of members, and would weaken the position of the branch negotiators in view of the very tight timeframe and the imminent implementation of redundancies. There was very little willingness to trust the management offer, particularly in view of the decision by Council (supported by management) to withdraw a key component of the voluntary severance scheme which the branch believed had been agreed in principle.

Members also argued that a delay in signalling action might lead to any effective action being too late. Accordingly, the Branch voted (with 2 abstentions and no dissent) to proceeding with plans for industrial action from around 4th of May, to include strike and action short of a strike.

The branch also passed an amendment calling for the Deputy Vice Chancellor to be placed on ‘garden leave’ in line with best practice in industry where a senior manager is leaving to work for a competitor (the DVC is moving to Royal Holloway in August 2010).

Further General Meetings have been called for 4th, 12th, 26th May and  3rd June.

Download a full report and copy of the motion.

Hardship Fund Details

Sussex UCU Hardship Fund: Guidelines

This fund has been set up to help staff whose financial circumstances have been seriously affected by the recent industrial action. It is funded by staff and student donations made to Sussex UCU over the past few weeks.

The hardship fund is not designed to replace lost earnings. It is intended for those who have particular need of assistance as UCU members undertaking strike action.

The amount available to individual staff will necessarily depend on the number of applicants to the fund. Individual means-testing will not be possible in these circumstances, but payments will vary according to current UCU subscription brackets (i.e. higher payments for those at the bottom of the salary scale).

To apply, please download this form and send it to the UCU Office (Arts B119), along with your payslip showing a deduction for strike action.

If no deductions are shown on your payslip (e.g. if you are an Associate Tutor or other hourly-paid staff member), please provide confirmation of expected work on March 18th, such as a teaching timetable.

Any staff wishing to apply to the fund must submit their applications to the UCU Office no later than 4 weeks after the date to which the claim applies (ie four weeks after the actual pay deduction). That way we can begin allocating the available funds and getting support to those in need of it as soon as possible.

Please note that further applications can be made to this fund should we undertake further strike action.

Many thanks to all of those who have already donated. Further donations can be made online, via paypal or direct to the account. Please click here for more details.