• UNISON are taking their 15th strike day since August last year – against UoB management trampling over the negotiations procedure, and on behalf of all of us here at UoB
• The University has made a revised offer – a ‘positive step forward’
• But this is not enough – the strike goes on! 24, 25, 26 April
• It is essential that UNISON win this dispute, and it is essential that we in UCU support them.
• YOU should do the following to support the dispute:
  
  • vote to endorse our branch payment of £1000 to the UNISON strike fund
  • do NOT do the work of striking support staff or cover for them while they are on strike
  • circulate their message on social media
  • use the library helpdesk, not the machines, for library services
  • Make a personal donation (in addition to the branch donation) to the UNISON strike fund
  • ⁠Send messages of solidarity to the UNISON committee: unisonbham@contacts.bham.ac.uk

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UNISON – the recognised union representing all support staff at the University of Birmingham – has announced that it is taking a sixth round of strike action here at the University. This is in opposition to the way in which their negotiation procedure was trampled on by the University management – with a contract change imposed upon them before negotiations had ended, and a potentially unlawful bribe used to induce staff to agree those imposed terms.

This is an attack on the negotiations procedures between management and the workforce at the University of Birmingham – if we let this pass then it is carte blanche for this reckless, union-busting, management. This is not a “UNISON issue for UNISON people” – we in UCU need to do everything we can to make sure that UNISON wins this dispute, on behalf of the whole workforce at the University of Birmingham.

This is the sixth round of strike action since last summer and takes the number of strike days to 15. This is the resolve that employees need to show in pushing back against the super-aggressive management tactics of our UoB management. UNISON members are a role model to all employees and trade unionists here at the University.

And their efforts are working! Whilst Adam Tickell has spent the past year trying to downplay the dispute, alongside management claims the “negotiations were over“, and with multiple messages of ‘disappointment’ – nevertheless the University is now showing signs of movement. A revised offer was put to UNISON on Monday, which was received as a ‘positive step forward’ – but UNISON members considered it not good enough, and opted therefore to continue with strike action, albeit for 3 days rather than the full week that was originally planned.

UNISON’s pressure is very visibly working – and they are resolved to continue until a negotiated resolution to this dispute is reached. In doing so they are protecting the principle of a negotiation-based approach to changes in our workplace, on behalf of all of us.

It is essential that UNISON win this dispute, and it is essential that we in UCU support them.

At our members’ meeting this week we agreed to send £1000 to their strike fund, to support their strike efforts. To approve this spending we need you to vote to endorse the payment on behalf of the branch (to make it a quorate branch decision – the donation can’t go ahead without this vote).

Please vote to endorse the £1000 payment from our branch to UNISON’s strike fund – the vote closes on Friday at 5pm.

You should also do the following on the UNISON strike days – Wednesday 24, Thursday 25 and Friday 26 April:

• Support staff across the University will be on strike – do NOT do their work or cover for them while they are on strike;
   
• Circulate their message on social media – especially their twitter account
   
• If you use the library, library staff will be on strike – use the library helpdesk, not the machines – show the management how important our library staff are!
   
• Make a personal donation (in addition to the branch donation) to the UNISON strike fund
   
• if in doubt of what to do in certain circumstances (and if you have other ideas for how to support the strikers), please contact us: admin@birminghamucu.org

Support the UNISON dispute – protect the negotiations procedures that affect all of our working lives here at the University of Birmingham – against an aggressive management that is trying to trample over our negotiated contracts.