UNISON support staff are taking strike action today (17.08.23). This is part of a pay dispute in which the University are forcing through changes to support staff contracts rather than properly negotiating a pay deal with the union, UNISON. This includes pay changes that will have a detrimental effect on some of the lowest paid members of the University, a deliberate attempt to remove the union (UNISON) from the proper negotiating processes, and an imposed change to the terms and conditions of employment.

This kind of heavy-handed management and bad-faith negotiating cannot be allowed to continue – and we must support our support staff colleagues in their attempts to push back in today’s strike action.

We also can’t help but note that this is a result of a local negotiation – as support staff at the University of Birmingham have opted out of national negotiations and negotiate pay directly with the University of Birmingham. This comes at the very same time that we are told that our UCU dispute cannot be settled because we are in national negotiations.

Indeed, VC Professor Tickell was on Radio 4 earlier this week promising that, if only we could engage in local negotiations, then the University of Birmingham offer would be far more generous. Yet, in the very same week we are seeing what local pay negotiations result in.

Listen back here – in VC Prof. Tickell’s words: “The problem is that we’re in national collective bargaining, so although there are some employers that could definitely afford to pay more, including my own…”

We can’t help but conclude that the University managers’ response will be – “Our hands are tied!” – whether that’s in local or national negotiations.

Solidarity with the UNISON support staff.

Join the strike rally today:

UNISON strike rally
11.30am
University station