Introduction to the industrial action
An overview of industrial action at Sheffield.
Over the summer, the University and College Union (UCU) Sheffield branch opened a ballot asking members if they would be prepared to take industrial action. The dispute centres on the union seeking a guarantee from the University that there will be no compulsory redundancies.
The ballot closed at the end of September and the majority of members who voted were in favour of industrial action in the form of strike action and action short of strike (ASOS).
UCU has confirmed it will ask its members to take 16 days of strike action on the following dates:
- 17, 18, 19, and 21 of November
- 24, 25, 26, and 27 of November
- 1, 2, 4, and 5 of December
- 9, 10, 11, and 12 of December
They have also asked members to take continuous action short of a strike (ASOS) from Monday 17 November onwards, to include:
- Not covering for absent colleagues, vacant posts, or posts that are discontinued due to change management
- Not rescheduling lectures or classes cancelled as a result of strike action
- Not sharing materials relating to lectures or classes cancelled as a result of strike action
- Not undertaking any voluntary activities
- Not undertaking duties which are not commensurate with the grade of the post
- Not using personal devices to conduct work
During periods of industrial action, our priority is to mitigate the impacts of the action on our students and we expect the vast majority of our students and staff will be unaffected by any industrial action. Where we do experience some disruption, we will do everything we can to support our students and to minimise the impact. We will continue to keep our students and staff updated.
We recognise the impact on students and staff during this unsettling period, and we are grateful for your patience and understanding. We remain firmly committed to avoiding compulsory redundancies where possible in future and to continuing open and constructive talks with our campus trade unions to build a positive and sustainable future.
Information for staff about industrial action and the University's position