Author: RichShip

Dear Professor Lloyd,

I would not normally take part in strike action, the University usually being a reasonable and sensible employer. The recent letter date 14th March 2011 from Susan Chambers titled “UCU NOTICE OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION – WHAT YOU NEED TO DO” has led me to question my previous assessment.

The fact that staff this time are being asked to record their presence at work, to be validated by the line managers appears to be somewhat strange when taken with the statement that the action is only restricted to UCU members. Do you have some way to eliminate non-UCU members from any penalty that you will apply if they fail to complete your form? I thought that the British judicial system was based on the tenet that you were innocent until proven guilty. I would have thought that those on strike would have been proud to say so, as they have done in the past – or is there such a problem with staff morale at the moment that you assume that staff will use the strike as an excuse to just have a day at home?

On the subject of penalties that you are going to impose, I see that you are going to deduct 1/260th of salary for that lost day of work. If this happens, then I will take that as a clarification of my contract and that you do not expect me to work on weekends, and will adjust my behaviour in accordance with this when asked to come in for visit days, open days and other weekend activities, and will inform my colleagues that this appears to the policy of the management.

I trust that you will enjoy your final salary pension including your recent pay rise, when you are offering the academic staff a real terms pay cut and removal of the final salary pension whilst increasing work load through the expansion of student numbers.

Richard Shipman