Industrial action latest updates for staff

2022/23 industrial action updates

26 September: Industrial action update

Yesterday afternoon (Monday 25 September), we met with the local branch of UCU to discuss the ongoing local strike action. 

You may be aware that strikes have been called off at 89 other universities. Branches at the majority of those universities had polled their local membership who determined that strike action should not go ahead, whilst a small number of UCU branches had reached local deals with their University to call off the action. 

We invited the local branch to a meeting to explore the possibility of calling off the action here at Sheffield. Unfortunately the meeting ended with no agreement, with the local UCU branch only being willing to call off strike action if the University agreed to a number of new terms, unrelated to the current local dispute. 

The local branch has called on its members to take ten days of local strike action, separate to the national action, in response to the University’s approach to pay deductions for participating in the boycott of marking and assessment processes. UCU also called on the University to repay deductions already taken from those who participated in the boycott. 

As a reminder, the approach taken was to withhold 100 per cent of pay from staff who were in breach of their contract, in line with our longstanding position on partial performance, by not carrying out marking and assessment duties, during two, time-limited periods. The maximum amount of deductions that could have been taken under our approach were the equivalent of 30 days pay.

The boycott lasted for five months. Six members of staff have experienced pay deductions at the maximum of 30 days pay. At Sheffield, 179 of our 8,000 staff participated in the boycott between 20 April and 6 September. The average total deduction from pay at Sheffield was equivalent to 14 days pay. The University does not consider it appropriate to repay the deductions already taken, as outlined in previous updates. The fact also remains that some of our students continue to be affected and are awaiting marks from the boycott.

There is currently a live national ballot, where UCU are seeking to extend their mandate for further industrial action into the new academic year. Unfortunately, beyond calling off the strike action due to take place for the remainder of this week, before the current dispute mandate expires at the weekend, the branch was not able to offer any commitments or guarantees that Sheffield would not face further industrial action.

At this point, unless the branch subsequently decides to consult its membership about the strikes, our expectation is that UCU will continue to call on its members to strike for the remainder of this week, until Friday 29 September. UCU’s mandate for industrial action expires on 30 September.

We will continue to ensure that our efforts are focused on minimising the impact on our students during the remainder of this industrial action. I would like to thank colleagues who have worked hard to make sure our students have had a positive start to the new academic year.

The continuation of the strike action for the remainder of this week is regrettable, however, we remain committed to carry on working with our local trade unions, including UCU, to make Sheffield a better place to work. We are currently in negotiations with UCU over measures to tackle casualisation, and they are involved in a joint working group looking at professional services workloads which is expected to report its findings in the near future. We have also already committed to reopening negotiations on our grade boundaries in 2024, following the work in 2022 which saw some 5,000 staff at Sheffield receive pay increases above the national pay award. 

Finally, whilst picketing around the campus has been generally good natured, the University has asked UCU to stop picketing outside 301 Glossop Road, due to the detrimental impact on students who access the services provided by the 301 team, particularly students with disabilities. UCU agreed to suspend the picket at this location on 25 September. We are unsure what UCU’s plans are for the rest of the week but hope that they will recognise the impact that a picket line can have on those students in need of support.

Ian Wright, Director of Human Resources

18 September: Industrial action update

Dear colleagues,

I want to update you on developments around industrial action, which began at Sheffield this week.

From today (Monday 18 September) the Sheffield branch of UCU are asking their members to take up to ten days of local strike action, relating to the University’s approach to pay deductions from the 179 people who participated in the marking and assessment boycott which ended on 6 September.

In addition, and running concurrently with the local strike action, next week (Monday 25 - Friday 29 September) there are nation-wide strikes planned which will impact nearly 150 UK universities linked to the ongoing national dispute.

On Friday (15 September), UCU’s national office informed each branch that it can seek an exemption from strike action should it wish to seek the views of their local membership over whether to go ahead with the strikes. I have today written to the local UCU branch to understand whether they intend to consult their membership over the strikes. I will keep you updated on any developments.

As has previously been reported, we met with the Sheffield UCU branch executive to try and avert the strike action. UCU colleagues said they would call off their local strike action if we refunded deductions taken from colleagues who participated in the marking and assessment boycott. I have written to explain that we were not in a position to agree to do this.

There are a few reasons why we’re unable to agree to the UCU demand. Participation in the marking and assessment boycott constitutes a breach of contract. The University does not accept partial performance of the contract of employment and so applied a deduction to pay for those participating. Further, the impact that the marking and assessment boycott has had on our students - something that continues to be felt by those who still do not have their full marks returned - has been significant.  Our approach is in line with our longstanding position on partial performance and we were clear to all staff about the application of pay deductions before the action started.

With the national dispute still live, and a further national ballot starting tomorrow, we cannot undermine our position on partial performance, or set any form of precedent ahead of potential future action.

Despite the marking and assessment boycott running nationally for 100 working days, 78% of those participating at Sheffield experienced pay deductions of 15 days pay or less, with nearly half of those being subject to fewer than ten days of pay deductions. We capped the amount of pay deductions at 30 days and only six people will see pay deductions for the maximum period. I fully appreciate that anyone who participates in industrial action does not do so lightly, and I respect people’s right to do so, and I do not in any way wish to diminish the financial impact on those who took part in the boycott.

Before the latest news from UCU’s national office was released on Friday last week, I had been in correspondence with colleagues in Sheffield UCU to invite them to propose any  alternative means of reaching a local resolution to the strike action which does not breach the University’s principle on partial performance. I want to assure you that we remain open to seeking a resolution to this dispute.

We remain committed to continued work with our trade union colleagues locally, with the aim of helping to make Sheffield a great place to work and study. 

Best wishes,

Ian Wright, Director of HR

13 September: Forthcoming industrial action

Dear colleagues,

You may be aware the Sheffield University and College Union (UCU) branch is calling on its members to take strike action in intro week and week 1 of the new semester from 18-25 September. This is in response to the University’s position on pay deductions during the marking and assessment boycott.

Simultaneously, universities across the country will see strike action in relation to issues around UCU’s pay and conditions dispute. We have been notified that members at Sheffield will be asked to take strike action in relation to this dispute from 25-29 September (concurrently with the locally called strike action).

We met with Sheffield’s UCU branch to try and avert this action, but were not able to reach an agreement. UCU's position remains that in order to call off the local strike action, the University would need to agree to repay any pay deductions for those who have participated in the marking boycott since April. This is not something that we could concede, recognising the precedent it would set in relation to the University’s long standing position on partial performance.

The prospect of further industrial action presents a challenging time for our whole community, and the impact may be particularly felt by students returning to or starting their studies at Sheffield. Whether you are planning to participate in this strike action or not, please respect each other’s positions and continue to promote a collegial environment.

Many colleagues will not be taking part in industrial action, but for those that are planning to, I have set out below the University’s position. Please read this if you are intending to participate. 

With best wishes,

Ian Wright 

Director of HR

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Information for those taking part in industrial action: The information below sets out our University position and the expectations of you as colleagues when participating in industrial action. 

- Taking strike action

If you take strike action on any of the identified days, it is a requirement that you complete the University's strike notification form on your first day of returning to work after any day of strike action. Find the form here, and ensure you click ‘submit’ when you have completed all of the information: https://forms.gle/K3jrYt36VnAH1CtQ6

For those colleagues taking part in strike action, you will be in breach of your contract of employment and so you will not be paid for the days you are on strike. The deductions will be made in the next available payroll.

Further details, including how the pay deductions will be made and the impact on part-time staff, GTAs and casual workers participating in action can be found on the industrial action webpages. 

- Participating in action short of a strike (ASOS)

UCU members have been asked to take ASOS since April 2023 in the form of working to contract; not undertaking voluntary activities; not covering for absent colleagues; removing uploaded materials relating to and/or not sharing materials related to lectures or classes that will or have been cancelled as a result of strike action; not rescheduling lectures or classes cancelled due to strike action.

The University does not accept partial performance of the contract of employment. Whilst we do not believe that the ASOS that UCU is now asking its members to participate in will lead to anyone breaching their contractual terms, should this arise, the University reserves the right to deduct pay in line with our principles.

- Pension scheme membership

For details of how taking industrial action will impact on your pension scheme membership and benefits see our FAQ page. 

- General information  

Our policy on industrial action can be found here.

If you have any questions, please email industrial.action@sheffield.ac.uk. You can also find further information, FAQs and the latest updates. 

11 September: Industrial action update

The University and College Union (UCU) has ceased its marking and assessment boycott. Members voted in favour of calling off the action prior to the end of their mandate, which expires on 30 September.

Departments will now be focused on ensuring any remaining missing marking is completed and marks are returned to students and graduates as soon as possible. Heads of Departments will be supported in re-prioritising colleagues’ workloads where needed to ensure marking can be completed in a reasonable time. 

On 18 September, Sheffield UCU will begin local strike action in response to the University’s position on pay deductions for those who participated in the marking and assessment boycott. On Friday, colleagues from UEB and HR met with the local UCU branch executive team to discuss trying to avert this action, but an agreement could not be reached.

We have also received formal notification from the national UCU office, that members are being called on to take strike days from 25-29 September. This will run concurrently with the local action.

In addition, for the remainder of the current mandate (to 30 September) UCU is continuing to call on its members to participate in the other forms of action short of a strike that have been ongoing since April.

UCU have said they will open a new national ballot of members nationally on pay and conditions issues later this month, with a view to renewing their mandate for industrial action. You can read more about our position on these national issues here.

We will provide further updates prior to the strike action beginning.​​​​​​

4 September: Industrial action update

Local strike action

Sheffield’s branch of the University and College Union (UCU) has given the University formal notification that its members will be called on to take continuous strike action in the first two weeks of the new semester; 18-22 and 25-29 September (intro week and week one). This is local action in response to the approach taken to pay deductions for participants in the marking and assessment boycott (MAB).

On Friday, Sheffield UCU contacted us to seek a further meeting with a view to avoiding the proposed strike action at Sheffield and we plan to meet with them as soon as practicable. They have indicated that if the University were to change its position on pay deductions for those participating in the MAB, and to repay any deductions taken to date, members of Sheffield UCU would be willing to call off the local strikes. 

National picture

Irrespective of these local discussions, there is likely to be national strike action across all universities during these weeks, as part of UCU’s current mandate for industrial action which ends on 30 September, though we haven’t received notification of this. Our understanding is that each branch will choose one of those two weeks in which to take strike action locally to cause the maximum disruption.

Separately, UCU has recently undertaken an e-ballot of members over whether or not to continue the MAB to the end of the current mandate. This e-ballot closed on Friday 1 September but there has been no formal confirmation of its outcome. As soon as we hear the outcome we will update you and provide any relevant guidance.

UCU has also indicated that they will again ballot members nationally on the pay and conditions dispute. It is likely that this ballot will open later in September and run for a number of weeks. As such, should UCU be successful in their re-ballot, we are expecting a gap between mandates. 

During this gap, members will not be able to take any form of industrial action and as an institution we will require any participants in the boycott who have outstanding marking to ensure it is completed in a reasonable timeframe. Where necessary, workloads will be adjusted to enable them to prioritise this activity. 

Although participation in the marking and assessment boycott has been low at Sheffield, there are still a small number of students whose final classification or progression is impacted by missing marks. Should we see a pause in the MAB, or at the end of the current mandate, we expect that all marks will be returned to students.

We will of course continue to keep all staff updated with any developments in relation to the current industrial action.

7 August: Update on Marking and Assessment Boycott

Dear colleague,

As you will be aware, the sector has faced ongoing industrial action this past year and, unfortunately, it is possible that action will continue in the new academic year.

Whilst the disputes relate to national issues that affect the entire higher education sector, I remain committed to doing what we can locally. Last week, I met with members of the Sheffield UCU branch to discuss how we can avert further strike action. You may be aware that members of the local branch have passed a motion calling for escalation to strike action in Intro Week and the first week of the semester in response to the deduction of pay for those taking part in the marking and assessment boycott. Sheffield UCU representatives indicated they would be prepared to not ask their members to take strike action if no further deductions were made, but they were clear that, irrespective of what happens locally they are unable to call off the current marking and assessment boycott at Sheffield.

We have sought to take a measured response to the marking and assessment boycott. Some universities have taken pay deductions for the entire period of the action. We took the decision to only deduct pay in separate periods when core marking is carried out.

We respect the right of colleagues to take lawful industrial action but we cannot accept partial performance from our staff. Just under 200 colleagues took part in the boycott initially, with 65 subsequently telling us they have ceased to participate. Although this is a small minority of our staff community of over 8,000, the risk remains that ongoing participation will have an adverse impact on our students. Our approach therefore remains unchanged. I recognise this could mean that the University faces further strike action before the end of UCU's current mandate on 30 September 2023.

Whilst we were unable to reach an agreement over ceasing to deduct pay for those choosing to participate in the boycott, I remain committed to working collaboratively with our local trade union representatives to improve working conditions for colleagues at Sheffield. We have many examples of past and ongoing successful joint work, and this includes recent constructive discussions with the local UCU branch on how GTAs are employed, and on other ways of providing more stable employment for colleagues across the University.

As I outlined in my last email, I would also welcome working with our local trade unions to lobby the Government and the opposition for a fair and sustainable funding model for the sector. I believe this to be fundamental to solving some of the sector-wide challenges that have underpinned the disputes of recent years.

Once again, I want to express my sincere thanks to all of you who are doing everything you can for our students and for each other during this challenging time. I hope that you are able to take a well-earned break over the summer period.

Best wishes,

Koen

7 July: Our position on the ongoing industrial action

Dear colleague,

As we approach the end of the current period of pay deductions for those staff participating in the national marking and assessment boycott being called by UCU, I am writing to update colleagues on the University's position following the release of marks to students today (7 July).

I appreciate that only a small number of our staff have chosen to participate thus far and so this information will not affect most of you - I apologise for having to write to all staff with this information. I have set out below the University's position on further deductions. Please read this if you are intending to participate in the boycott beyond today (7 July).

Throughout this action, our priority has been to minimise the impact on students. As the Vice-Chancellor outlined in Monday's update, we now know that the vast majority of our students will be able to graduate this summer: https://staff.sheffield.ac.uk/news/vice-chancellor-update-july-2023. I want to extend my thanks to all of you who contributed to ensuring this could happen.

For those who have been participating in the boycott, pay will resume after today (7 July).

We must now focus on marking outstanding undergraduate and postgraduate-taught work, and the setting and marking of resits. Heads of Department have been asked to assign this as soon as possible, with the aim being to have all outstanding marking returned by 28 July 2023.

If a member of staff refuses to undertake marking and assessment work allocated to them during this period (10 to 28 July) they will be determined to be participating in the boycott and further pay deductions will be made. The section below outlines how those deductions will apply.

We are committed to working with our local trade union colleagues to make Sheffield the best possible place to work, and sincerely hope that a sector-wide resolution can be found to these disputes.

Best wishes,

Ian Wright
Director of Human Resources


University response to the boycott of marking and assessment processes:

Our intention is to be student centred in our approach whilst trying to be reasonable and fair both to those who take part in the boycott and those who do not.

A boycott of marking and assessment processes presents significant challenges for our University community, and it is our longstanding policy that we do not accept the partial performance of the employment contract of any member of staff. This means those who choose not to fulfil all the requirements of their contract will not be entitled to their contractual pay.

In line with our position on partial performance: https://staff.sheffield.ac.uk/hr/policies/industrial-action, pay will be withheld from staff who participate in industrial action that amounts to a breach of contract. Not carrying out marking and assessment duties or processes for staff that are required to do so as part of their role is a breach of contract, and therefore those staff participating will face pay deductions.

The University will withhold 100 per cent of pay from staff participating in a boycott of marking and assessment processes and will start from a common date across the institution.

This will be calculated by deducting 1/365th of your annual salary for each working day that you participate in a boycott of marking and assessment processes.

If you are considering participating in the marking and assessment boycott after 7 July, it is important that you understand the following:

- Your Head of Department may allocate you marking and assessment work, to be completed by 28 July 2023. If this is done, no pay deductions will be made. If you refuse to complete this marking, 100 per cent of pay will be withheld for a three-week period, from 31 July to 18 August 2023.

- You have the opportunity to change your mind and have your pay restarted. If you are participating and would like to withdraw from the boycott of marking and assessment processes between 31 July and 18 August, please complete this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSecnMHOhi_gxV9urc96F2hlsKw_kY1XpiJ1MpvcJAEBkiqbyQ/viewform. You will then be expected to undertake any marking and assessment activity that is allocated to you.

- For any staff not attending assigned PGR confirmation review hearings and/or vivas, pay will be withheld for your day of non attendance. This will still apply if the hearing/viva is during the period 10 July to 28 July 2023.

3 July: Vice-Chancellor update, July 2023

Dear colleague, 

As you will be aware, the University and College Union (UCU) is calling on its members to undertake a national marking and assessment boycott, as part of its action short of a strike on matters related to pay and working conditions.  

We have been working hard to minimise the impact of this action on our students. Thanks to the incredible efforts of colleagues across the University, most assessment and marking has been completed in time for exam boards. This means that the vast majority of our undergraduate students will be able to graduate or proceed to the next level of study this summer. For about 70 students, insufficient marks have been received to enable them to graduate with classified degrees at this time. We will be awarding them a temporary degree to allow them to graduate alongside their peers. Their degree classification will be confirmed as soon as marking has been completed.  

Although we have been able to mitigate most of the impact of the boycott on students, it is clear that the action continues to cause significant tension across our University community.  This is regrettable, and I would call upon all colleagues, whether you are taking action or not, to remain respectful and supportive of each other. 

Unfortunately, a resolution of the national dispute is not in sight. On all fronts, negotiations appear to have reached an impasse. Both UCU and the Universities and Colleges Employers’ Association (UCEA) have stated their willingness to re-open negotiations, but they have not been able to agree on the terms on which productive discussion might take place. UCEA has made it clear that any further movement on pay in the current round would cause significant difficulties, including job losses, for the financially least resilient universities.  

The collective employer position on pay is therefore very unlikely to move, although there is room for further negotiation on working conditions under the ACAS-agreed terms of reference. For their part, as recently as Friday last week, UCU has been clear that a further pay increase must remain firmly within scope of the national negotiations. 

Where does this leave us? What can we do, here at Sheffield, to break out of the gridlock? I remain committed to making this a really good place to work, and I appreciate the national pay awards in recent years have resulted in pay erosion for many colleagues. It is very unfortunate that the collective negotiations have not enabled those pay awards to keep pace with inflation. Locally we have put in place what we can, including changes to the grade boundaries last year, and the interim financial support over the past ten months. However, these remain temporary and local fixes and the issues raised under the pay mandate can only be resolved at a national level.  

Regardless of the outcome of the national dispute, I am convinced that a sustainable solution to the issues underlying the ongoing industrial disputes can only be found if the funding model for higher education itself changes, so that the decline in funding across the sector is reversed. We need resolute decisions in government about the future trajectory of the sector, and funding commitments to follow. On the basis of my own engagement with both the government and the opposition, I believe that all parties understand and accept that higher education in England is not sustainably funded, and that reform will be necessary.  

However, given the very many competing demands on government funding, and against the background of the UK’s economic performance, there is as yet no roadmap or set of policy proposals that sets out how this might be delivered, and there is no sense of urgency amongst our politicians either. There is a real risk that this will not become a political priority for the foreseeable future, allowing the matter to drift until the damage becomes irreversible. 

To achieve the reform the sector needs, I believe we are going to have to take a different approach. Over the past months and years, tensions between universities and trade unions have grown, and I am in no doubt that this division has been an important factor in the government’s unwillingness to address the underlying sector funding issues. 

I think it is crucial that we now try to move away from this adversarial approach, and accept that our long-term interests are fundamentally aligned. We have worked collaboratively and successfully with our local trade union colleagues on a range of projects, from tackling casualisation to reviewing our grade boundaries. I am proud of the joint work we have done  and remain committed to doing more. I think we can build on this and set an example for a different national approach. We need to turn the spotlight on the government and together make a strong case for a fair and sustainable funding model for the sector.

Of course, none of this will happen overnight, and we need to be honest about the challenges ahead. The cost of living crisis continues and we are going to have to deal with the erosion in funding caused by the current model for several more years. I promise that we will remain very open and transparent with you as we seek to respond to these ongoing difficulties.

I hope you saw an email from me last week inviting you to an informal all-staff briefing on Wednesday 12 July. At this event, I will be able to say more about the issues that I have set out in this email. I hope you will be able to attend, and, if so, my University Executive Board colleagues and I look forward to meeting you next week.

With best wishes,

Koen Lamberts

Vice-Chancellor

19 June 2023: Update on the marking and assessment boycott

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) are being asked by the union to take action short of a strike, including a boycott of marking and assessment processes.

The date on which pay will start to be deducted for all who are participating in the boycott is 19 June 2023, ahead of the scheduled exam boards. Pay will be withheld until marks are released to students, on 7 July 2023.

If you are participating and would like to withdraw from the marking and assessment boycott, please complete this form.

You can find more information and guidance about the marking and assessment boycott on our Industrial Action webpages.

11 May: UCU boycott of marking and assessment processes

Dear colleagues,

As you will be aware, the University and College Union (UCU) has a renewed mandate for industrial action at the majority of UK universities and is asking members to take part in a boycott of marking and assessment processes.

In my email on 19 April, I set out the University’s position for people who are planning to take part and I am now in a position to share further details. 

I appreciate that the majority of colleagues will not be taking part in industrial action, so my apologies if this is not relevant to you. As we do not know who is taking part in action, it is important that we share this information with all colleagues. We fully respect the right to take industrial action and I know that the decision to take part is not taken lightly.

It is our sincere hope that a sector-wide resolution can be found to these disputes. We are also continuing to work alongside our trade union colleagues to make progress locally to make this the best possible place to work. You can read more about our work at: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action/national-issues

With best wishes,

Ian Wright

Director of HR

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University response to the boycott of marking and assessment processes

Our intention is to be student centred in our approach whilst trying to be reasonable and fair both to those who take part in the boycott and those who do not.

A boycott of marking and assessment processes presents significant challenges for our University community, and it is our longstanding policy that we do not accept the partial performance of the employment contract of any member of staff. This means those who choose not to fulfil all the requirements of their contract will not be entitled to their contractual pay.

In line with our position on partial performance, pay will be withheld from staff who participate in industrial action that amounts to a breach of contract. Not carrying out marking and assessment duties or processes for staff that are required to do so as part of their role is a breach of contract, and therefore those staff participating will face pay deductions. The University will withhold 100 per cent of pay from staff participating in a boycott of marking and assessment processes and will start from a common date across the institution. This will be calculated by deducting 1/365th of your annual salary for each working day that you participate in a boycott of marking and assessment processes.

The University expects that from 9 June – the last day of the semester – staff who have marking and assessment related duties will be focusing on this critical activity. If staff have chosen to participate in the boycott, their decision will be clear from this date. Therefore departments will be contacting staff with these duties to ask whether they are participating in the boycott from 9 June onwards.

Local arrangements will be in place for departments in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, due to different assessment timescales. Further updates regarding these arrangements will be issued shortly.

You are expected to answer truthfully if asked if you are participating in the boycott of marking and assessment processes. Whilst you do not have to declare your intentions in advance, because you are expected to be undertaking marking and assessment related work from 9 June, if you have chosen to participate in the boycott, it will be apparent from this date and you must confirm participation if asked. Once participation is confirmed, the University will conclude that you are participating on an ongoing basis, in line with UCU’s declared continuous action.

The date on which pay will start to be deducted for all who are participating in the boycott is 19 June 2023, ahead of the scheduled exam boards. Pay will be withheld until marks are released to students, on 7 July 2023. During this period of withheld pay, the University accepts that it cannot expect or ask people subject to pay deductions to undertake other work. This is in line with our position of not accepting partial performance of the employment contract. Any work that you choose to do during this period of withheld pay, whether at home, on campus or elsewhere, is entirely voluntary on your part.

In some departments, marking and assessment work may be due for submission before 9 June. If this applies to you, and you participate in the boycott, your pay won’t be withheld until 19 June.

Departments will be recording participation in the boycott of marking and assessment processes, collated for the purpose of mitigating the impact of industrial action, and for processing pay deductions.

UCU’s mandate for industrial action runs to 30 September 2023 and they have called on members to take part in a boycott of marking and assessment processes on a continuous basis during that mandate. Therefore, the University’s approach to pay deductions in relation to any ongoing boycott of marking and assessment processes will be reviewed after 7 July and further updates will be issued if necessary.

What if I change my mind, and decide I no longer wish to participate? If you have confirmed your participation, but change your mind before 19 June, and there is marking and assessment work that can be allocated to you, you can resume marking, and you will not be recorded as having participated in the boycott.

If you change your mind after 19 June, and there is still work that can be allocated to you (for example from those who have picked up extra marking as a result of the boycott), your participation will be recorded as having ended on the date you confirmed you were available to carry out marking and assessment processes again.

If there is no marking and assessment related work left for you to do, your participation will be recorded for the full period between 19 June and 7 July.

How does this apply to professional services staff who aren’t expected to do their marking and assessment related work until after 19 June? If someone in this position participates in the boycott of marking and assessment processes, their participation will be recorded as having commenced from the date the work was available for them to undertake, if that is after 19 June. In all other circumstances pay will be withheld from 19 June onwards, as with all others who participate in the boycott.

What happens if there is still outstanding marking and assessment work at the end of the pay deduction period when staff return to work? If work is still outstanding at the end of the pay deduction period then this will be allocated to staff in the usual manner, with a clear expectation that it is completed by a stated deadline. If staff continue to participate in the boycott of marking and assessment processes, the University reserves the right to make further deductions from pay in response to this partial performance.

Further frequently asked questions can be found on the University’s industrial action web page at: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action/staff, and also on the UCU website at: https://www.ucu.org.uk/MAboycottFAQs

19 April: Forthcoming industrial action, from Ian Wright, Director of HR

Dear colleagues,

As you may be aware, the University and College Union (UCU) has a renewed mandate for industrial action at the majority of UK universities, including here at Sheffield on both the USS dispute and that relating to pay and working conditions.

We have been notified that UCU will be calling on its members to carry on with the current continuous action short of a strike (ASOS) that has been in place for several months. In addition, from 20 April 2023 they intend to extend ASOS to include a marking and assessment boycott also on a continuous basis. We have received no notification of further strike days at this point.

This week a consultation of UCU members concluded, with around half of their membership responding. Eighty-five per cent of those voting wished to ‘note’ a UCU and Universities UK joint statement on the USS pension scheme that confirms both sides are keen to prioritise enhancements in the scheme benefits and reductions in costs of contributions following recent improvements in its financial position. We understand, based on communications from the General Secretary of UCU, that this will mean a suspension of industrial action on that dispute, though at the time of writing we have not received formal notification of this.

On the other dispute relating to pay and working conditions, 56 per cent of UCU members who responded to the consultation voted to reject the pay award and the terms of reference which were agreed through talks mediated by Acas. It is therefore our expectation that UCU will continue to call on its members to participate in a marking and assessment boycott as part of the pay and working conditions dispute.

A marking and assessment boycott presents significant challenges for our University community, and I hope that we can come together in support of our students and colleagues – whether participating in ASOS or not during this period. I know that the decision taken by individual UCU members to participate in industrial action is not taken lightly and respect people’s right to do so. I also recognise that this action will impact those not participating in it and I am grateful to everyone for their efforts.

Protecting students' interests is our priority throughout this upcoming action, so we are doing whatever we can to mitigate the impact on them, including ensuring that marking and assessment is completed as required, to enable students to progress and graduate.

We continue to work with our national representatives in finding a resolution to these disputes.

Most colleagues will not be taking part in industrial action, but for those that are planning to, I have set out below the University’s position. Please read this if you are intending to participate.

With best wishes,

Ian Wright
Director of HR

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Information for those taking part in industrial action

The information below sets out our University position and the expectations of you as colleagues when participating in industrial action.

Participating in action short of a strike (ASOS):

It is the longstanding policy of the University of Sheffield (as detailed at https://staff.sheffield.ac.uk/hr/policies/industrial-action) that we do not accept the partial performance of the employment contract of any member of staff. This means those who choose not to fulfil all the requirements of their contract will not be entitled to their contractual pay. In line with this position, the policy is to withhold the pay of staff who participate in industrial action that amounts to a breach of contract. Not carrying out marking and assessment duties or processes for staff that are required to do so as part of their role is a breach of contract and those staff participating will face pay deductions.

If you are considering participating in the marking and assessment boycott, it is important that you understand the following:

- The University will withhold 100 per cent of pay from staff participating in a marking and assessment boycott. This will be calculated by deducting 1/365th of your annual salary for each working day that you participate in a marking and assessment boycott. 
- Pay deductions will not commence immediately from 20 April, but will start from when it becomes clear a colleague is participating or has participated in the marking and assessment boycott (for example, on the date of the deadline for submitting marks in your faculty)
- Deductions will be made for a finite period. They will continue until such time as marks are released to students at the latest. At this point, pay will resume at your normal rate.
- There is no declaration form for you to complete.
- Deductions will be made in the next available payroll.
- We will communicate details of relevant faculty deadline dates during the key marking and assessment period in the coming week.
- As partial performance is not accepted, any other work that you choose to undertake whilst pay is withheld for your participation in the marking and assessment boycott, whether in the University, at home, or elsewhere, will be voluntary on your part.
- If you are not participating in the boycott of marking and assessment processes, there is no further action you need to take.

Pension scheme membership: For details of how taking industrial action will impact on your pension scheme membership and benefits see our FAQ page at: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action/staff#pay-impact

General information: Our policy on industrial action can be found here: https://staff.sheffield.ac.uk/hr/policies/industrial-action

If you have any questions, please email industrial.action@sheffield.ac.uk. You can also find further information, FAQs and the latest updates here: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action. 

5 April: Notification from the University and College Union (UCU)

We have received formal notification from the University and College Union (UCU) that they are extending their current action short of a strike to include a marking and assessment boycott, from 20 April 2023.

4 April: Industrial action update from Ian Wright, Director of HR

You may be aware that the University and College Union (UCU) recently reballotted members on their disputes relating to pay and working conditions, and the USS pension scheme.

Yesterday we were informed that members who voted supported further strike action in both disputes, meaning that their mandates to take industrial action now run until 30 September 2023, or when the disputes are resolved – whichever occurs sooner.

UCU has previously stated that it plans to commence a marking and assessment boycott later this month, which would be an extension of the current continuous Action Short of a Strike. The union has to give us at least two weeks’ notice of any new action – we will update colleagues if we receive notification.

There has been progress at a national level. In my update on 6 March, I outlined that UCU and other sector trade unions had held mediated talks with the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), who represent most of the sector’s employers including the University of Sheffield. These meetings delivered a series of jointly agreed terms of reference to progress national level negotiations on a review of the pay spine, pay gaps, workloads, and contract types. While there was an impasse over the 2023-24 pay award, this has now been implemented with increases of £1,000 or two per cent, whichever is greater, on all points on the national pay spine. Further increases of up to another three per cent will follow in August 2023.

On the USS pension scheme, UCU and UUK have also released a joint statement that both sides are keen to prioritise enhancements in the scheme benefits and reductions in costs of contributions following recent improvements in its financial position. You can read the joint statement here.

In a separate e-ballot of UCU members, a significant majority indicated that they would like to be consulted both on the terms of reference and the joint statement on USS. The union’s Higher Education Committee has therefore agreed to consult with members on both matters, with a recommendation to reject the terms of reference and to ‘note’ the USS joint statement. This consultation is likely to conclude in time for an event which UCU has scheduled for 19 April.

These disputes are being felt sector-wide, and we can not resolve them with action just at Sheffield. However, we are committed to our ongoing work with local trade unions which has yielded good progress on pay and working conditions recently.

On the USS pension, a valuation has been commenced, with the indicative timeline outlined here. Our joint working group continues to meet and will be informing our University responses to the valuation, which will be shared with colleagues.

I hope that a national resolution is found, and we can avoid the proposed action. However, should it go ahead we face a challenging time for our entire University community, alongside the rest of the higher education sector. I urge you to continue supporting each other, regardless of your position on the disputes.

3 April: Industrial action update

The University and College Union (UCU) will consult its members on proposals developed during recent talks between trade unions and the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA). They will also consult members on a joint statement between Universities UK and UCU on the USS pension scheme.

UCU’s re-ballot to continue industrial action on two mandates related to pay and working conditions, and the USS pension scheme, ended on Friday 31 March. They have announced that members voted to continue strike action. We will be in touch with more information soon.

6 March

Ian Wright, Director of HR, updates colleagues on the outcomes of the 2023-24 national pay negotiations and upcoming strike days.

Our representatives in national pay negotiations, the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), has instructed us to implement the 2023-24 pay award for colleagues.

Because our local pay grades start higher up the national pay spine than other universities, the total value of the pay award this year is between five and seven per cent for colleagues at Sheffield. In a departure from the usual approach of introducing the increase in August, this year’s award adopts a two-stage approach so that staff receive an increase as soon as possible during this period of increased cost of living pressures.

As such, a portion of the pay award is being paid earlier, to be effective from 1 February, with pay spine points increased from that date by £1,000 per year or two per cent, whichever is greater. This will be implemented in our March payroll and backdated to February. The remainder of the national increase will be introduced in August.

National negotiations are in relation to staff on grades 2 to 9. UEB have agreed that the national pay award will also apply to our Professorial and Professorial Equivalent staff. 

We have updated our grade structures for staff on Grades 2-9, and for staff on Professorial and Professorial Equivalent scales here (staff log-in required). You can also see the impact of pay increases over the whole of 2023 on this spreadsheet (staff log-in required). These pay increases are being implemented at nearly 150 institutions across the UK.

The pay increases do not apply to staff on Clinical pay scales, which are subject to separate negotiations.

Our additional pay supplement (staff log-in required) of up to £100 per month, agreed by the University Executive Board (UEB) in October, will continue to be paid as planned until July 2023. This will mean that overall, colleagues at Sheffield will receive an extra £700 in the current calendar year (pro rated for part time staff) on top of the increased salary from the national pay award. However when this ends from August take-home pay for many colleagues will reduce. The impact is shown on the spreadsheet above. 

UCEA and the trade unions continue to hold mediated discussions with the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas), in regards to the pay spine, equality pay gaps, contract types and workload. We hope to have news on the outcomes of those talks in the near future and will keep you updated.

You may be aware that strike action from members of the University and College Union (UCU) resumes next week, after an agreed two-week pause. In addition to the planned dates, they have announced that they will be asking members to take action on 15 March. As such, the remaining strike days are:

15, 16 and 17 March 2023 20, 21 and 22 March 2023

If you have any questions, please contact Human Resources in the first instance.

UCU is reballoting members to continue these dispute mandates. We will update you as soon as we can after the vote closes on 31 March.

The USS pension scheme valuation is proceeding as planned, and constructive discussions continue between UUK, UCU and the USS Trustee. Financial monitoring of the scheme continues to indicate that its health is likely to be much improved. We will feed in our thoughts when invited with input from our USS Valuation Working group, which also includes trade union representatives.

20 February: Industrial action update

Dear colleague,

Late last week, the University and College Union (UCU) informed its members that strike action will be paused for two weeks.

This means strike days planned at Sheffield and nearly 150 other institutions this week (21-23 February) and next week (27 February-2 March) will not go ahead.

This hiatus has been called to reflect the progress in talks between the trade unions including UCU, and employer representatives the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), in discussions facilitated by Acas, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.

There are further strike days scheduled for 16-17 and 21-22 March, which may still go ahead. Tomorrow, UCU will also begin a reballot of members to extend its mandate beyond the current end date of 20 April 2023. This ballot will run from 21 February to 31 March.

Can I please remind you that if you have taken strike action, it is a requirement that you complete the notification form on your first day of returning to work.

Talks between UCEA and the recognised trade unions (including UCU) will continue for the rest of February, and I will keep you updated on any progress.


Best wishes,

Ian Wright
Director of HR

20 February: Industrial action update

The University and College Union (UCU) has announced that it is pausing its strike action for two weeks.

This means strike days this week (21-23 February) and next week (27 February-2 March) will not go ahead.

This hiatus has been called to reflect the progress in talks between the trade unions including UCU, and employer representatives the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), in discussions facilitated by Acas, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.

There are further strike days scheduled for 16-17 and 21-22 March, which may still go ahead.

13 February: Industrial action update

To help reach a settlement on the 2023-24 pay round and conclude the ongoing disputes, our employer representatives and UCU have replaced a planned dispute resolution meeting in favour of talks mediated by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas). These discussions begin today (13 Feburary).

The University has also today received formal notice of UCU's intention to reballot members on the current disputes. The ballot will run from 21 February - 31 March 2023.

7 February: Final pay offer from UCEA

Following a final negotiating meeting with trade unions, UCEA confirmed their final offer on pay for the 2023-24 New JNCHES pay negotiations.

 

In summary:

• The offer provides for an uplift of up to eight per cent for staff on the lowest national pay spine points, and an uplift of five per cent for staff on or above spine point 26.
• As Sheffield's grade structure starts further up the national pay spine than in other institutions, the largest increase our staff will receive is seven per cent, but that is because we have already ensured our minimum pay rate is above the real living wage foundation rate.
• The offer includes an interim pay uplift from 1 February 2023 with the remaining proportion of the overall uplift being implemented from 1 August 2023.
• UCU and Unite have formally rejected the offer. UNISON is consulting with members.

Full details of this offer can be found here, on the UCEA webpages.

31 January 2023: Our position on forthcoming industrial action

Dear colleague,

As you may be aware, the University and College Union (UCU) is calling on its members to take industrial action here at Sheffield, as well as at the majority of other UK universities across February and March. Currently this comprises continuous action short of a strike (ASOS) which started in November, and 18 discontinuous strike days. The first of these is tomorrow, Wednesday 1 February,  with the remainder spread over February and March.

There has been a revised pay offer made by our representatives the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), which the trade unions are currently consulting over. If agreed, colleagues would see total pay increases of five to eight per cent, depending on your spine point, with a partial pay increase implemented in February, and the remainder in August. I am hopeful that these national negotiations will lead to a settlement.

As the Vice Chancellor highlighted in his message yesterday, the next few weeks will undoubtedly be challenging - whether you are taking part in industrial action or not. I know that the decision to take action is not taken lightly and we fully respect people's right to do so. Whatever your position, please continue to foster a supportive University community for all. You can read the Vice Chancellor's message here: https://staff.sheffield.ac.uk/news/industrial-action-february-and-march

Many colleagues will not be taking part in industrial action, but for those that are planning to, I have set out below the University's position. Please read this if you are intending to participate.

With best wishes,

Ian Wright
Director of HR

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Information for those taking part in industrial action

The information below sets out our University position and the expectations of you as colleagues when participating in industrial action.

Taking strike action
If you take strike action on any of the identified days, it is a requirement that you complete the University's strike notification form on your first day of returning to work after any day of strike action. Find the form here, and ensure you click 'submit' when you have completed all of the information: https://forms.gle/wgbYcyJXRa1MqnUb8.

For those colleagues taking part in strike action, you will be in breach of your contract of employment and so you will not be paid for the days you are on strike. The deductions will be made in the next available payroll.

Further details, including how the pay deductions will be made and the impact on part-time staff, GTAs and casual workers participating in action can be found on the industrial action webpages: https://staff.sheffield.ac.uk/hr/policies/industrial-action.

Participating in action short of a strike (ASOS)
UCU members have been asked to take ASOS since November 2022. The University does not accept partial performance of the contract of employment. Where participation in ASOS constitutes a breach of contract, the University reserves the right to deduct pay in line with our principles: https://staff.sheffield.ac.uk/hr/policies/industrial-action

Our priority is to minimise disruption to our students and we will make decisions on deducting pay based on the impact on them. Please be assured that we will give colleagues prior notice of any deductions, so you can choose whether or not to continue the action before these are made.

Pension scheme membership
For details of how taking industrial action will impact on your pension scheme membership and benefits see our FAQ page at: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action/staff#pay-impact

General information 
Our policy on industrial action can be found here: https://staff.sheffield.ac.uk/hr/policies/industrial-action

If you have any questions, please email industrial.action@sheffield.ac.uk.

30 January 2023

Dear colleague,

The University and College Union (UCU) is asking members nationally to take strike action across seven weeks in February and March, starting on Wednesday 1 February. You can find the dates here.

Any form of industrial action is undoubtedly challenging for our entire University community, and with the prospect of 18 strike days ahead it is essential that we maintain a collaborative and collegial environment across the University. I thank you for continuing to show respect for each other, and for the work you do to support our students. 

As you will know, the issues at the heart of the current dispute are in relation to pay, working conditions and the USS pension scheme. National negotiations on pay are ongoing, with a revised offer put to the joint trade unions last week, and locally we are making progress with our trade union colleagues to do all we can to make this University the best possible place to work.

On USS, the preparation for the March 2023 valuation is in progress. We have reconvened the USS Valuation Working Group with trade union colleagues and we will continue to ensure that our voice is heard by all the relevant decision-making bodies.  

Despite occasional assertions to the contrary, it cannot be denied that many of the difficulties in the sector originate in a funding model that is unsustainable and in urgent need of reform. 

The static cap on home student fees and rising inflation mean that higher education income has been under pressure in real terms for many years. At many universities, fees from growing numbers of international students cross-subsidise research and other activities, including the teaching of home students. In addition, market forces have led to an increasingly uneven distribution of resources across institutions, with several universities now facing acute financial challenges. Significant funding differentials across the sector are also an obstacle to successful collective bargaining, to which we remain committed. 

In recent months, I have had numerous conversations with MPs, ministers, and members of the shadow cabinet about the need for reform, which seems to be broadly understood, and about possible alternative models. I hope ongoing engagement on these issues will lead to meaningful progress in the near future, and I will keep you updated if there are any significant developments. 

With best wishes,

Koen Lamberts
President and Vice-Chancellor

24 January 2023

We have received formal notification from the University and College Union (UCU) of the discontinuous 18 strike action they will be asking members to take across seven weeks in February and March. They are as follows:

- Wednesday 1 February

- Thursday 9 February and Friday 10 February

- Tuesday 14 February, Wednesday 15 February and Thursday 16 February

- Tuesday 21 February, Wednesday 22 February and Thursday 23 February

- Monday 27 February, Tuesday 28 February, Wednesday 1 March and Thursday 2 March

- Thursday 16 March and Friday 17 March

- Monday 20 March, Tuesday 21 March and Wednesday 22 March

17 January 2023

We have received formal notification from the University and College Union (UCU) that the first of their 18 proposed strike days will be on Wednesday 1 February 2023.

16 January 2023

Following our most recent update, we now have further information on the University and College Union’s (UCU) plans for industrial action. The University has received no formal notification of any of the changes below, but they have been communicated publicly.

Following UCU’s Higher Education Committee meeting on 12 January, it was announced that members will be asked to take 18 days of strike action in February and March. As yet, UCU has not announced dates for this action which will affect around 150 universities.

They also decided to reballot members, asking them to vote to extend their industrial action beyond 20 April – the end of their current mandate. A marking and assessment boycott is planned for April, subject to this renewed mandate.

UCU has confirmed today (16 January 2022) that they are withdrawing the previous notice of a marking and assessment boycott to commence on 23 January.

You were contacted last week with details of a pay offer, made by our representatives the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) to the five recognised trade unions. There are negotiating meetings between these parties scheduled today, and on 25 January. We have not heard yet whether the trade unions will accept this offer.

13 January 2023

The University and College Union (UCU) has announced 18 days of strike action across February and March. UCU will share exact dates in the coming days. 

The marking and assessment boycott previously called from 23 January will now begin in April, subject to a renewed mandate. UCU will be reballoting to renew the mandate.

We will continue to keep you updated.

9 January 2023

Update on industrial action from Ian Wright, Director of HR

The University and College Union (UCU) have given us formal notice of their intention to ask members to undertake a marking and assessment boycott from 23 January 2023.

We understand that a number of other institutions have received the same notification - it would be continuous action until the current industrial action mandate expires on 20 April 2023 or the disputes are resolved, whichever occurs sooner. The marking and assessment boycott is an extension of the current Action Short of a Strike.

You may be aware that UCU, along with the other recognised trade unions, are meeting with our representatives UCEA today, one of a series of negotiating sessions regarding their mandate on national pay negotiations. We are still hopeful of a positive resolution from this meeting.

Our principles and approach to pay deductions govern how we manage situations of dispute resolution including those involving industrial action. Our position in relation to a marking and assessment boycott remains unchanged from last year when UCU asked its members to take similar action. Further details will be shared with colleagues in the coming few days. We will also be providing Heads of Department with guidance relating to the proposed marking and assessment boycott.

Click here to read FAQs relating to this action.

Whilst this is a challenging period for the sector, as well as our local community, we are committed to continuing our ongoing work with local trade unions where we have made good progress on pay and working conditions for colleagues at Sheffield. I hope that a sector-wide solution will be found to resolve these disputes and am encouraging proactive engagement between all parties.

UCU has its Higher Education Committee on 12 January, where they may decide on further action. I will keep you updated.

16 December 2022

We were pleased that our representatives UCEA and the trade unions agreed to bring the 2023–24 pay round forward with negotiations running through December and January, along with a de-escalation of the industrial action during the negotiating period.

However, the first meeting held last week was adjourned without negotiations starting. Trade unions questioned the intention of the agreement leading to the negotiations and said they were not willing to de-escalate action during the negotiating period. They requested that the commitment to de-escalation was removed from the statement. The meeting was adjourned so that UCEA’s Board could be consulted on the request - UCEA has issued a media statement explaining the situation in more detail.

UCU has announced that they intend to escalate action in January and February. The University has received no formal notification of further industrial action at this stage.

We sincerely hope that this matter will be resolved and that both parties can meet and make progress again soon. There is another negotiating meeting scheduled for early January. We will continue to keep you updated.

12 December 2022

UCEA and the national trade unions have agreed to bring the 2023–24 pay round forward along with a de-escalation of the pay dispute at national level during the negotiating period. We support these efforts to find a resolution to the national pay dispute. Meetings are due to take place during December 2022.

22 November: Our position on forthcoming industrial action

All-staff email from Ian Wright, sent on Tuesday 22 November.

Dear colleague,

As you may be aware, the University and College Union (UCU) is calling on its members to take industrial action here at Sheffield, as well as at the majority of other UK universities. Currently this comprises continuous action short of a strike (ASOS) starting on 23 November, and three strike days on 24, 25 and 30 November.

I understand that this is a challenging time for our entire University community, whether you are taking part in industrial action or not. I know that the decision to take action is not taken lightly and we fully respect your right to take action. I’d like to echo the Vice-Chancellor’s comments from 8 November, which urged us all to maintain positive relationships and continue to support students and each other.

We continue to work closely with our local trade union colleagues on a range of areas to improve our pay and working conditions for staff at Sheffield and I am pleased with the progress we have made to date and continue to work towards. However, we need a sector-wide resolution to these sector wide disputes and we continue to encourage parties to come together at a national level to explore ways to resolve them.

I acknowledge that many colleagues will not be taking part in industrial action, but for those that are planning to, I have set out below the University’s position. Please take the time to read this if you are intending to participate. 

With best wishes,

Ian Wright 

Director of HR

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Information for those taking part in industrial action

The information below sets out our University position and the expectations of you as colleagues when participating in industrial action. 

Taking strike action

If you take strike action on any of the identified days (24, 25 and 30 November), it is a requirement that you complete the University's strike notification form on your first day of returning to work after any day of strike action. Find the form here, and ensure you click ‘submit’ when you have completed all of the information.

For those colleagues taking part in strike action, you will be in breach of your contract of employment and so you will not be paid for the days you are on strike. The deductions will be made in the January 2023 payroll, as normal payroll processing happens earlier in December, to ensure staff get paid ahead of the Christmas break.

Further details, including how the pay deductions will be made and the impact on part-time staff, GTAs and casual workers participating in action can be found on the industrial action webpages. 

Participating in action short of a strike (ASOS)

The University does not accept partial performance of the contract of employment. Where participation in ASOS constitutes a breach of contract, the University reserves the right to deduct pay in line with our principles. 

If you choose to take any form of ASOS, whether you or your trade union consider it to be a breach of contract or not, you are required to complete the University's notification form at the end of each week that you participate in ASOS. Find the form here, and ensure you click ‘submit’ when you have completed all of the information. 

Our priority is to minimise disruption to our students and we will make decisions on deducting pay based on the impact on them. Please be assured that we will give colleagues prior notice of any deductions, so you can choose whether or not to continue the action before these are made.

Pension scheme membership

For details of how taking industrial action will impact on your pension scheme membership and benefits see our FAQ page.

General information  

Our policy on industrial action can be found here. 
If you have any questions, please email industrial.action@sheffield.ac.uk. You can also find further information, FAQs and the latest updates here.

9 November: Industrial action in November

Dear colleague

As you may be aware, the University and College Union (UCU) is asking members nationally to take three days of strike action on Thursday 24, Friday 25 and Wednesday 30 November 2022.

These strike days are in relation to two disputes – changes to the USS pension scheme (for colleagues on grades 6 and above), and pay and working conditions. You can find out more about our stance on these national issues at: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action/national-issues

UCU has also announced action short of a strike to take place on a continuous basis from Wednesday 23 November. This will include working to contract, not undertaking voluntary activities, not covering for absent colleagues, removing uploaded materials and/or not sharing materials related to lectures or classes that will or have been cancelled as a result of strike action, and not rescheduling lectures or classes cancelled due to strike action.

I know that the strike action comes at a challenging time for many people and we are doing all we can to support you. Please take the time to read this article by Ian Wright, our Director of HR, which highlights the progress we have made in collaboration with our local trade union branches, including UCU: https://staff.sheffield.ac.uk/news/our-work-pay-conditions-and-uss-pension-scheme

We have dedicated web pages where you can find information about the industrial action, including the latest FAQs and details of whom to contact if you have any questions or concerns. You can find these pages at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action

If you cannot find the answer to a question, you can email industrial.action@sheffield.ac.uk. We will also make sure you are kept updated with the latest information.

Our priority is to minimise disruption to our students. We continue to work with our local trade unions and representatives and encourage both parties to come together at a national level to explore ways to resolve these disputes.

Again, I would like to thank you for your efforts to ensure we maintain positive relationships and continue to support our students and each other.

With best wishes,

Koen Lamberts

President and Vice-Chancellor

31 October: Our work on pay, conditions and the USS pension scheme

Ian Wright, Director of HR, updates on what we have been doing locally for colleagues in relation to issues raised in the UCU ballot. Click here.

24 October: Outcome of UCU ballot

Following a national, aggregated ballot of all university branches, UCU has obtained a mandate for industrial action in respect of their disputes regarding pay, pensions and working conditions. At this time we haven't had confirmation of what action UCU will call on their members to take in relation to this dispute.

There will be no immediate industrial action, as by law UCU has to give all relevant employers 14 days’ notice before any action can begin. UCU has also indicated that it will give employers time to respond to the ballot outcome before calling on members to take action.

UCU has a Higher Education Committee meeting on 3 November to agree their next steps, so we anticipate that the absolute earliest action would commence would be two weeks after that, so around 17-18 November.

We will continue to keep you updated.

31 August: Outcome of UNISON ballot

UNISON, one of our recognised campus trade unions, also balloted its members on the 2022-23 national pay negotiations. Fewer than 50 per cent of UNISON members voted in the ballot on industrial action, which means they did not meet the minimum turnout requirement for a valid ballot. As such, UNISON will not be calling on its members to participate in industrial action.

23 August: UCU ballot

UCU is balloting members on two issues: changes to the USS pension scheme; and pay and working conditions. The aggregated ballots close on 21 October.

UNISON, another recognised campus trade union, is balloting members on the national pay negotiations 2022-23. This disaggregated vote closes on 26 August.

2021/22 industrial action updates

1 June: Update on industrial action

Dear colleague,

Following constructive negotiations with our local branch of UCU, I am pleased to announce that their members have voted to accept our proposal and end action short of a strike here at Sheffield. It has been a challenging time for all of our staff and students and I know that this will be welcome news for many.

I want to reassure you that, whilst this means the end of the action, I remain committed to resolving the issues and challenges that I know so many of you are facing. I will provide an update in the coming weeks with further details on the steps we intend to take.

You can read the full commitment we have agreed with our local branch at:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-pZ2LiHI_a1dTHhBZllqwsKup5ysXKzvc2tGN93vDj0/edit

This includes an agreement to invest at least an extra £5 million per year in staff pay as part of our local grade boundary work, and to address issues around workload, casualisation, and equality. We look forward to continuing to work with our trade union colleagues and I want to thank them for their positive engagement.

I hope you have a restful and enjoyable bank holiday weekend.

With best wishes,

Koen Lamberts
Vice-Chancellor

27 May: Update on local negotiations with the Sheffield branch of UCU 

Dear colleague,

Further to my update earlier this week, my UEB colleagues and I have had a second productive meeting with the Sheffield branch of UCU.

We presented a proposal to UCU colleagues that outlines our commitment to addressing the issues at the heart of the disputes. This includes an agreement to invest at least an extra £5 million per year in staff pay, as part of our local grade boundary work.

You can read the University's full commitment here.

In summary, we agreed that we will:

- Continue to progress the work to negotiate changes to our local grade boundaries, with all our trade unions, committing to fund at least an extra £5 million per year in staff pay.

- Build on the joint work we have been doing to address issues around pay, workload, casualisation and equality, and act as an exemplar for the sector in our employment practices.

- Establish joint task and finish working groups, with the aim of making improvements in a number of areas, including identifying and removing barriers to promotion in relation to gender, race, and disability, and exploring issues and concerns around professional services workloads.

- Continue to use our leverage at UUK and UCEA in relation to the annual pay negotiations and future discussions relating to USS.

Our UCU colleagues will now ask their members to vote on this set of proposals. If you are a UCU member you should already  have received an email from the local branch setting out the arrangements for the vote. We hope to hear the outcome next week.

Please be assured that, if branch members vote to accept the proposal and call off the action, and providing all marking and assessment is carried out, we will not deduct any pay from colleagues who have taken part in the boycott.

I hope that I will be able to write to you again next week to confirm the end of the action here at Sheffield.

With best wishes,

Koen Lamberts
Vice-Chancellor

25 May: Update on negotiations with our local trade unions

Dear colleague,

I promised to keep you updated on local negotiations with our trade unions in relation to the current marking and assessment boycott. This morning, UEB colleagues and I met with representatives of the Sheffield branch of UCU to discuss how we could bring an end to the ongoing disputes.

I am pleased to report that the meeting was constructive and that we have explored all of the requests put to us by the branch. We have committed to meet again on Friday this week to progress these discussions.

In the meantime, we have agreed to develop an outline proposal to present back to UCU colleagues at the next meeting. Similarly, UCU has agreed to share more detailed ideas ahead of the next meeting.

Unfortunately, UCU has declined to call a temporary pause to the marking and assessment boycott whilst we engage in these negotiations. Therefore, our position on partial performance remains unchanged.

It is my sincere hope that these discussions will lead to the end of industrial action here at Sheffield. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my trade union colleagues for their commitment to working collectively as we seek to bring an end to what has been a challenging few months and years.

I will continue to keep you updated.

With best wishes,
Koen Lamberts
Vice-Chancellor

23 May: Update on industrial action at Sheffield

Dear colleague,

From today, the Sheffield branch of UCU is asking its members to take action short of a strike, including a marking and assessment boycott.

On Friday, you will have seen an email from Ian Wright, Director of Human Resources, which outlined that our local branch would still be taking part in this action, despite many branches of UCU taking the decision to withdraw from the marking and assessment boycott.

We are one of only 21 universities (out of approximately 150), including five Russell Group peers, still facing a marking and assessment boycott. It is extremely disappointing and frustrating that our local UCU branch has chosen to continue this action, and I am concerned about the impact it will have on our students.

Over the past two years, our students have faced significant challenges due to the pandemic and the ongoing industrial action, and now, at a critical time of their education, they face the prospect of further disruption. Of course, we will do everything we can to ensure that our students' work is marked and assessed and that they are able to proceed or graduate as planned. I want to take this opportunity to thank colleagues for their support in ensuring that our students' education is not affected.

I acknowledge that there are genuine concerns that need to be addressed. You will have seen my email on 16 May (https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action/staff/latest-updates#16-may) which outlined our commitment to resolve the issues at the heart of the ongoing industrial action. This remains a priority and I am determined that we will make significant improvements for the benefit of everyone who works and studies here.

UCU colleagues wrote to me on Wednesday last week, seeking to discuss national and local issues. We responded on Thursday morning, explaining that we are committed to working with them, and seeking clarity on what we can do through local discussions and negotiations to bring an end to the current disputes. At this stage, to make real progress, our focus must be on the local issues - pay equality, workload and casualisation. Of course, we continue to make our voice heard and advocate on behalf of our colleagues on the national issues of pay and pensions. However, the changes to USS and the 2021 pay award have already been implemented, and as one of a small group of institutions still facing ongoing action, including a marking and assessment boycott, it is not realistic to expect that local negotiation in Sheffield will affect the national position.

The 2020 USS Valuation has concluded and, whilst we welcome recent improvements to the scheme's funding position, the next formal valuation will determine what that means for the future of the scheme. I have already outlined that, should the financial health of the scheme allow it, I will be calling for an improvement to pension benefits.

The 2021 pay award was made in August 2021 and Trade Unions are now consulting members on the 2022 pay offer. The current offer will see those most affected by the cost of living increases receive a 9 per cent increase, with at least a 3 per cent increase in pay for those on higher grades, in addition to any incremental pay progression and other local rewards and promotions.

We are currently engaged with UCU and our other trade unions, Unite and UNISON, over changes to our local grade boundaries. These discussions have been progressing well over the past few months and have been constructive. I hope that we will be able to agree changes in our grade boundaries by the end of this academic year, providing further sustained increases in pay for many colleagues.

At the time of writing, the local branch hasn't responded to our email, but I hope that we will hear from them soon to discuss a way forward and bring an end to the disputes.

I will continue to keep you updated. Thank you again for everything you continue to do.

With best wishes,
Koen Lamberts

20 May: The University's position in relation to the forthcoming industrial action

Dear colleague,

I am writing to reiterate the University's position in relation to the forthcoming industrial action which the University and College Union (UCU) is calling on its members to take here in Sheffield, and at a number of other universities. Previous communications on this matter can be found at:
https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action/staff/latest-updates

I acknowledge that many staff will choose not to participate in the industrial action and I apologise for having to write to everyone. However, we are unable to identify in advance who will be taking action and it is important that colleagues understand the implications of participating in the industrial action.

Protecting students' interests must be our priority throughout this upcoming action, so we are doing whatever we can to mitigate the impact on them, including ensuring that marking is completed as required to enable students to progress and graduate as planned.

Action short of a strike (ASOS) - Boycott of marking and assessment processes:

UCU is asking its members to take action short of a strike (ASOS) on a continuous basis, from 23 May, potentially until 7 October 2022. Details of the ASOS can be found on our web pages at:
https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action. This latest round of ASOS now includes a boycott of all marking and assessment processes.

To date UCU has not given notification of any further days of strike action.

It is the longstanding policy of the University of Sheffield (as detailed at https://staff.sheffield.ac.uk/hr/policies/industrial-action) that we do not accept the partial performance of the employment contract of any member of staff. This means those who choose not to fulfil all the requirements of their contract will not be entitled to their contractual pay. In line with this position, the policy is to withhold the pay of staff who participate in industrial action that amounts to a breach of contract. Not carrying out any marking and assessment duties or processes that are required as part of their role is a breach of contract.

If you are considering participating in the boycott of marking and assessment processes, it is important that you understand the following:

As UCU has called for continuous action short of a strike from 23 May, pay will be withheld from those participating in the boycott of marking and assessment processes from the first date after 23 May that students have submitted work that you are expected to mark, or the first date that you are expected to undertake duties related to the processing of marking and assessment (or on your first working day after that if, for example, you work part time, are on annual leave or sickness absence). The withholding of pay will continue until either you advise the University that you are no longer participating in the marking and assessment boycott and recommence your full contractual duties including any marking and assessment work, or UCU call off their action or the industrial action mandate expires (on 7 October 2022), whichever occurs first.

If you are participating in the boycott of marking and assessment processes, you are required to complete the following Google form on the first date that students have submitted work that you are expected to mark, or the first date that you are expected to undertake duties related to the processing of marking and assessment (or on your first working day after that). If you are unsure when this is, you should speak to your Head of Department.

If you subsequently change your mind, and want to stop participating in the boycott, you must complete the following Google form to confirm this. Once you have completed this form and resumed your full contractual duties your pay will be paid at your normal rate of pay.

The information in these forms will only be used for the purpose for which it is collected, namely to seek to mitigate and address the impact of those participating in the action on our students and for the purposes of enabling the withholding of pay and the administration of deductions.

Further details regarding the industrial action and our position can be found via our FAQs.

If you are not participating in the boycott of marking and assessment processes, there is no further action you need to take.

Pension scheme membership:

For details of how taking industrial action will impact on your pension scheme membership and benefits see our FAQ page.

If you have any queries regarding this message please email industrial.action@sheffield.ac.uk

I regret having to write to you in these terms, but it's important that we ensure that all staff members are clear on the University's policy and position. I appreciate that this is a very challenging time for everyone affected by the industrial action.


Regards,

Ian Wright
Director of HR

• The University will withhold 100% of pay from staff participating in a marking and assessment boycott. This will be calculated by deducting 1/365th of your pro rata annual salary for each working day that you participate in a boycott of marking and assessment processes.
• As partial performance is not accepted, any other work that you choose to undertake whilst participating in the boycott of marking and assessment processes, whether in the University, at home, or elsewhere, will be voluntary on your part and partial payment shall not be made.
• Pay will be deducted in the next available payroll period following the start of participation in the industrial action, and thereafter on a monthly basis.

16 May: Our commitment to resolve the issues at the centre of industrial action

Dear colleague, 

As you know, we face further industrial action here at Sheffield and at other universities across the country. As part of new mandates obtained in its disputes on pay, working conditions and pensions, the Sheffield branch of UCU has announced that it will be asking its members to take action short of a strike (ASOS) from 23 May. This action will include a marking and assessment boycott. 

I wish we weren’t in this position and understand the impact industrial action has had, and continues to have, on our university community. I assure you that we continue to work to bring an end to the disputes. We have sought to influence and shape the national discussion on pay and pensions, and we are taking local steps to address issues around workload, casualisation and equality.   

However, having heard the issues and concerns you raised in my meetings with departments over the past few months, I acknowledge that we need to do more. My UEB colleagues and I have considered other steps we can take to resolve the issues at the centre of the ongoing action and we set out our commitment to you below.

On USS, we will:

Call for future valuations to be based on moderately prudent assumptions. Call for better pension benefits for members if future valuations show an improved funding position for the scheme. Continue to provide enhanced covenant support for any proposals formally presented and agreed through negotiations at the USS Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC).  Support the work that is being undertaken by UUK, UCU, and USS to explore more affordable membership options, to enable more eligible staff to join USS.  Support the joint work on governance reform in USS and on possible future benefit structures for the scheme (including conditional indexation).  Reconvene our USS Valuation Working Group, in partnership with our trade union colleagues, to help navigate the complex issues that might arise from the next USS valuation.

This work is very important to me, and I am determined to do everything I can to make our University the best possible place to work for all our colleagues. We will keep you informed about progress.

With best wishes,

Koen

On the ‘four fights’ dispute, we will:

Continue to negotiate changes to our local grade boundaries with our trade union colleagues. Although we are bound to use the nationally agreed pay spine, local changes to grade boundaries will allow some staff to move further up the spine. We hope to conclude this work by August 2022, and you can read its terms of reference here. Build on the good practice and constructive local negotiations with the trade unions that have led to: 

• the introduction of the Graduate Teaching Assistant employment contract;
• a commitment that no regular scheduled teaching will be undertaken by anyone on a casual contract; and
• the introduction of a £10 per hour minimum pay rate

Seek urgent improvements in workloads, according to the principles agreed in our joint Academic Workload Planning Group.  Improve career pathways for Professional Services colleagues. Implement our Gender Pay Gap Action Plan, seeking to reduce the gender pay gap by a further five percentage points by 2025, and prioritise work to reduce ethnicity and disability pay gaps. Continue our work under the One University pillar, which has diversity and inclusion, wellbeing, and fostering a supportive and collaborative culture at its heart.

9 May 2022

As part of their national dispute on pay, working conditions and changes to the USS pension scheme, we have received notification from UCU that they will be asking members at Sheffield to take Action Short of a Strike (ASOS) from 23 May 2022. The latest this action will run to is 8 October 2022.

We have not received any formal notification of further strike days. We are working through the details of this latest notice and will provide further guidance for staff in the coming week.

We will be updating the Staff Information webpages regularly.

27 April 2022 update

The University and College Union (UCU) has a mandate for Action Short of a Strike (ASOS) and 10 days strike action in regards to its ballots on USS and pay and working conditions. 

Dates of this action will be confirmed in mid-May.

12 April 2022 update

The University and College Union (UCU) re-balloted institutions across the country on two issues; pay and working conditions, and pensions. The Sheffield branch has succeeded in getting a mandate for strike action and action short of a strike on both of these issues.

This mandate will last until 8 October 2022.

We will find out what action they plan to take later this month and will keep you updated.

25 March 2022: The University's position on the forthcoming industrial action

Dear colleague,

I am writing to reiterate the University's position in relation to the forthcoming industrial action which the University and College Union (UCU) is calling on its members to take here in Sheffield, and at a number of other universities. Previous communications on this matter can be found at:
https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action/staff/latest-updates

I acknowledge that many staff will not choose to participate in the industrial action and I apologise for having to write to everyone, however, we are unable to identify in advance who will be taking action and it is important that colleagues are clear of the implications of participating in industrial action.

Strike action

For those staff who choose to take strike action on any of the dates identified by UCU (28 March - 1 April), you will be in breach of your contract of employment and, as such, a day's pay will be withheld for each day that you participate in the strike. The impact for part-time staff, GTAs and casual workers has previously been communicated and remains unchanged.

If you do take strike action you must complete the University's strike notification form each time you return to work following your participation. This is a requirement, it is not voluntary. The strike notification form must be completed online at:
https://forms.gle/wv5M6GqcK5WmjHLe6

All deductions in relation to these five days of strike action will be made in the April 2022 payroll.

Action short of a strike (ASOS)

UCU is also continuing to ask its members to take action short of a strike (ASOS) on a continuous basis, potentially until 3 May 2022. Details of the ASOS can be found on our web pages at:
https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action

If individuals take action which results in a breach of contract, for example refusing to reschedule teaching cancelled due to strike action, or removing or refusing to share materials for teaching cancelled due to strike action, you may not be entitled to your full pay from the date you start to breach your contract by being unwilling to perform your full contractual duties.

Whilst the University reserves its right to make deductions from pay where staff are in breach of their contract of employment, we will review the impact of the action before deciding whether and how to do so. Staff will receive prior notice of the implementation of deductions to enable them to choose whether or not to continue to participate in these additional forms of ASOS before deductions are made.

Anyone who chooses to commence taking any form of ASOS must complete the University's notification form at the end of each week they are taking action short of strike. This is also a requirement, whether or not you consider you have breached your contract of employment, it is not voluntary. The action short of a strike notification form must be completed online at:
https://forms.gle/RZRi9rGXtP7VEGvJ8

Pension scheme membership

For details of how taking industrial action will impact on your pension scheme membership and benefits see our FAQ page at:
https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action

If you have any queries regarding this message please email industrial.action@sheffield.ac.uk

Further details and answers to frequently asked questions are available at:
https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action

Regards,

Ian Wright
Director of HR

24 March 2022: Industrial action update

Dear colleague,

As you will be aware, the University and College Union (UCU) is due to begin a further five days of strike action (from Monday 28 March) on issues relating to pensions, pay and working conditions. Periods of industrial action are challenging for all of us and I would encourage everyone to remain supportive of each other, whatever your position.

In this week's staff newsletter, we provided an update on the issues at the centre of this industrial action, but I also wanted to write to you to outline my thoughts on these matters.

On pensions you will know that, following a long process, changes to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) will be implemented from 1 April 2022. You can find more information about what these changes mean for you on the USS website: https://www.uss.co.uk/for-members/your-statutory-notice-of-changes-to-uss

I recognise the depth of feeling about this, and share your disappointment about the reduction in benefits for members. However, I believe that this outcome is the least worst option, given the stated deficit in scheme funding and the projected cost of maintaining current benefits in the future, which the USS Trustee has determined. It is the only way to avoid contributions rising to unacceptable levels, potentially pricing many colleagues out of the scheme.

Our staff deserve the best benefits package possible, so the University's priority now is to seek reform of USS through the development and implementation of alternative arrangements. We want colleagues who currently opt out of USS to have a lower cost option to encourage them to start their pension savings earlier. It is likely that there will be another USS valuation in March 2023 and, should the financial health of the scheme allow it at that time, I will be calling for an improvement to pension benefits rather than seeking reductions in contributions from employers or members.

Negotiations for the 2022 pay round will formally commence on 30 March 2022, and the University is part of a group of around 150 participating employers. The Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) represents all participating HE institutions and negotiates annual pay increases to the national pay spine with the five HE trade unions - UCU, UNISON, Unite, EIS (in Scotland), and GMB.

At the start of the process, UCEA seeks a steer from its members regarding the affordability of pay increases and takes a position based on the feedback it receives. The offer from employers, therefore, has to take into account the varying financial positions of all participating institutions.

However, it is also important that the current high level of price inflation and its significant impact on the cost of living is taken into consideration. I have been clear with UCEA that our expectation is that this year's national pay negotiations take the current economic realities into account and help to address the financial challenges that many people are facing. We are also working with our local trade unions to agree changes to our grade boundaries, following our agreement last year to increase our minimum pay rate to £10 per hour.

There are also things that we can do to help address other local issues and challenges, including workload. I know that many colleagues are finding workloads increasingly challenging, and we are actively seeking to address this. Earlier this week, UEB reviewed all academic department and faculty five-year plans, and we will work with departments to identify priorities and opportunities so we can reduce workload pressures in the best way possible.

You may be aware that Professor Gill Valentine and I are visiting all University departments to hear your thoughts and answer your questions on a number of issues. We have already visited half of Sheffield's 66 departments, and I would like to thank everyone who has attended so far and provided feedback and suggestions. I am very grateful that you have taken the time to speak to us, and UEB and I are reflecting on what we can do in response to the concerns and issues you are raising. I will continue to keep you updated as this work progresses.

With best wishes,

Koen Lamberts
Vice-Chancellor

21 March 2022: Update on the main issues covered by the ongoing industrial action

We are aware that colleagues have questions about the issues covered by the ongoing industrial action. We have therefore put together a detailed update outlining the current situation in relation to pensions, pay and the 'four fights.'

21 March 2022: Further strike action

UCU members at Sheffield, along with 67 other institutions, are being asked to take strike action for a further five days in relation to pay, the USS pension changes and the 'four fights'.

Action at Sheffield runs from Monday 28 March to Friday 1 April 2022. This action is part of the current mandate for action, which expires on Tuesday 3 May 2022. 

UCU has also launched another ballot of members at around 150 Universities including Sheffield which closes on Friday 8 April. If it is successful, the new mandate will last until Saturday 8 October 2022.

14 February 2022: USS valuation update

Universities UK (UUK) conducted a short consultation with employers to finalise the response to the 2020 valuation, and in particular on a proposed modification following responses to the statutory consultation with members that closed in January. You can read our response to this and all other consultations on our USS Valuation web pages.

UUK has also asked employers to provide their feedback on UCU's alternative proposal, tabled last week. We know that there is confusion between UUK and UCU, however please be assured that we are looking at all the information provided by UCU carefully and in detail.  We hope to be in a position to share our feedback as quickly as possible with UUK, hopefully by the end of the week. We will share this with you and continue to keep you updated.

11 February 2022: The University's position on the forthcoming industrial action

Dear colleague

I am writing to reiterate the University's position in relation to the forthcoming industrial action which the University and College Union (UCU) is calling on its members to take here in Sheffield, and at a number of other universities. Previous communications on this matter can be found at https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action/staff/latest-updates

I acknowledge that many staff will not choose to participate in the industrial action and I apologise for having to write to everyone, however, we are unable to identify in advance who will be taking action and it is important that colleagues are clear of the implications of participating in industrial action.

Strike action

For those staff who choose to take strike action on any of the dates identified by UCU (14-18 February, 21-22 February and 28 February - 2 March), you will be in breach of your contract of employment and, as such, a day's pay will be withheld for each day that you participate in the strike. The impact for part-time staff, GTAs and casual workers has previously been communicated.

If you do take strike action you must complete the University's strike notification form each time you return to work following your participation. The strike notification form must be completed online at: https://forms.gle/VnGYuNEpm5fN6zyX9

All deductions in relation to these ten days of strike action will be made in the March 2022 payroll.

Action short of a strike (ASOS)

UCU is also asking its members to take action short of a strike (ASOS) from 1 December 2021 on a continuous basis, potentially until 3 May 2022. Details of the proposed ASOS can be found on our web pages at: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action

If individuals take action which results in a breach of contract, for example refusing to reschedule teaching cancelled due to strike action, or removing or refusing to share materials for teaching cancelled due to strike action, you may not be entitled to your full pay from the date you start to breach your contract by being unwilling to perform your full contractual duties.

Whilst the University reserves its right to make deductions from pay where staff are in breach of their contract of employment, we will review the impact of the action before deciding whether and how to do so. Staff will receive prior notice of the implementation of deductions to enable them to choose whether or not to continue to participate in these additional forms of ASOS before deductions are made.

Anyone who chooses to commence taking any form of ASOS must complete the University's notification form at the end of each week they are taking action short of strike. The action short of a strike notification form must be  completed online at: https://forms.gle/RZRi9rGXtP7VEGvJ8

Pension scheme membership

For details of how taking industrial action will impact on your pension scheme membership and benefits see our FAQ page at: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action

If you have any queries regarding this message please email industrial.action@sheffield.ac.uk

Further details and answers to frequently asked questions are available at: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action

Regards

Ian Wright

Director of HR

10 February 2022: Strike action due to begin on Monday

Dear colleague,

As you will know, the University and College Union (UCU) intends to begin strike action here in Sheffield and at 67 other universities from next week. The action will take place over the course of ten days, but is discontinuous. Strike days will be spread across the next three weeks as follows:

Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February (inclusive)
Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 February (inclusive)
Monday 28 February, Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 March (inclusive)

Action short of a strike continues, and will end no later than 3 May 2022 (when the mandate for any action under the UCU ballots expires).

As was the case in late 2021, this action relates to the proposed changes to USS (the pension scheme for staff on grades 6 and above), the 2021 pay settlement, and other employment-related matters. You can read more about these national issues and the work we are doing in Sheffield at: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action/national-issues

There are dedicated web pages where you can find information about the industrial action, including the latest FAQs and details of who to contact if you have any questions or concerns. You can find these pages at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action

If you cannot find the answer to any questions you may have in the FAQs, please email industrial.action@sheffield.ac.uk. I will also make sure you are kept updated with the latest information.

Our priority continues to be minimising disruption to our students. We will continue to work with our local trade unions and national representatives and encourage both parties to work together at a national level to explore ways to resolve these disputes.

Again, I would like to thank you for your efforts to ensure we maintain positive relationships and continue to support our students and each other.

With best wishes,
Koen Lamberts
President and Vice-Chancellor

31 January 2022 update

UCU will be asking its members at Sheffield and 67 other universities across the country to take part in further strike action over national issues relating to pensions, pay and working conditions.

The action will take place over the course of 10 days. These are:

USS dispute: 5 days’ strike action from 14 February to 18 February 2022 (inclusive) then 2 days’ strike action on 21 and 22 February 2022  Pay dispute: 2 days’ strike action on 21 and 22 February 2022 (concurrently with the USS dispute strikes) then 3 days’ strike action on 28 February, 1 and 2 March 2022

Our priority continues to be minimising disruption to our students. We will continue to work with our local trade unions and national representatives and encourage both parties to work together at a national level to explore ways to resolve these disputes.

Action short of strike will continue as now, with the exception of a marking and assessment boycott. 

30 November 2021: Strike action due to begin tomorrow

Dear colleague,

As you will know from my previous emails, the University and College Union (UCU) intends to begin strike action here in Sheffield and at 57 other universities from tomorrow, 1 December, until 3 December. The action is in relation to the proposed changes to USS (the pension scheme for staff on grades 6 and above), the 2021 pay settlement, and other employment-related matters (casualisation, gender/ethnicity/disability pay gaps and workloads). You can read more about these national issues and the work we are doing in Sheffield at: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action/national-issues

The strike action will be followed by continuous action short of a strike, with members asked to work to their contracted hours and duties and not to undertake voluntary activities. Action short of a strike will end no later than 3 May 2022 (when the mandate for any industrial action under these ballots expires).

We have created dedicated web pages where you can find information about the industrial action, including the latest FAQs and details of whom to contact if you have any questions or concerns. You can find these pages at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action

If you cannot find the answer to any questions you may have in the FAQs, please email industrial.action@sheffield.ac.uk. I will also make sure you are kept updated with the latest information.

My University Executive Board colleagues and I would like to thank you for your efforts to ensure we maintain positive relationships and continue to support our students and each other. We will do everything we can to minimise disruption and mitigate any impact on education, learning and research whilst prioritising the welfare of colleagues and students.

With best wishes,

Koen Lamberts
President and Vice-Chancellor

29 November 2021: The University's position on the forthcoming industrial action

Dear colleague

I am writing to outline the University's position in relation to the forthcoming industrial action which the University and College Union (UCU) is calling on its members to take here in Sheffield, and at 57 other universities.

UCU is asking its members to take both strike action and action short of a strike (ASOS), including three days of strike action on Wednesday 1 December, Thursday 2 December and Friday 3 December. UCU is also asking its members to start action short of a strike, in the form of "working to contracted hours and duties and not volunteering to do more."

I acknowledge that many staff will not choose to participate in the industrial action and I apologise for having to write to everyone, however, we are unable to identify in advance who will be taking action and it is important that colleagues are clear of the implications of participating in industrial action.

The University respects the rights of staff to take lawful industrial action, and our position on managing it is available at: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/hr/az/industrialactionanddispute

The University does not accept partial performance and where this breaches an individual's contract of employment, the University reserves the right to withhold up to 100 per cent of pay.

Strike action

For those staff who choose to take strike action on any of the dates identified by UCU between 1 and 3 December 2021 inclusive, you will be in breach of your contract of employment and, as such, a day's pay will be withheld for each day that you participate in the strike. Withheld pay will be calculated for full time staff as 1/365 of annual salary - including allowances/additional payments - and will be prorated for part-time staff. GTAs and casual workers will not be paid for any work they do not undertake due to taking industrial action. Further details can be found on our web pages at: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action

If you do take strike action you must complete the University's strike notification form as soon as you return to work following your participation, i.e. on 6 December for most people. The strike notification form must be completed online at: https://forms.gle/Z436MUFKFa4QfmEU6

All deductions in relation to these three days of strike action will be made in the January 2022 payroll.

Action short of a strike (ASOS)

UCU is also asking its members to take action short of a strike (ASOS) from 1 December 2021 on a continuous basis, potentially until 3 May 2022. Details of the proposed ASOS can be found on our web pages at: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action

In line with the University's position outlined above, the University does not accept partial performance of the contract of employment of any member of staff and reserves the right to deduct up to 100 per cent of pay in such circumstances.

The two forms of ASOS UCU has currently indicated it will be asking its members to take - not undertaking voluntary activities and working to contract - should mean there is no breach of contract, as staff taking such action would still be undertaking their full contractual duties. Where this is the case there will be no deduction from pay.

However, should the ASOS escalate to include the other forms cited by UCU in its ballot notification, or if individuals take action which does result in a breach of contract, for example if you refuse to undertake duties which normally form a part of your role, or to follow a reasonable management instruction, you may not be entitled to your full pay from the date you start to breach your contract by being unwilling to perform your full contractual duties.

These other forms of ASOS have the potential to have a serious adverse impact on our students and operations. Whilst the University reserves its right to make deductions from pay where staff are in breach of their contract of employment, we will review the impact of the action before deciding whether and how to do so. Staff will receive prior notice of the implementation of deductions to enable them to choose whether or not to continue to participate in these additional forms of ASOS before deductions are made.

Anyone who chooses to commence taking any form of ASOS must complete the University's notification form at the end of each week they are taking action short of strike - by 5pm each Friday at the latest. The action short of a strike notification form must be  completed online at: https://forms.gle/RZRi9rGXtP7VEGvJ8

Pension scheme membership

For details of how taking industrial action will impact on your pension scheme membership and benefits see our FAQ page at: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action

If you change your mind

If you choose to take part in the action (strike or ASOS) being called by UCU and at a later stage decide to change your mind, you should confirm this by email to industrial.action@sheffield.ac.uk, and let your Head of Department know. If you have been subject to pay deductions, your pay will be reinstated to your normal contractual salary from the date on which you return to normal working. Any pay withheld whilst taking action will not be reinstated.

If you have any queries regarding this message please email industrial.action@sheffield.ac.uk

Further details and answers to frequently asked questions are available at: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/industrial-action


Regards
Ian Wright
Director of HR

22 November 2021: Sheffield UCU obtain mandate for industrial action

The local branch of UCU has also obtained a mandate for industrial action in respect of their dispute with the University over changes to the Department of Archaeology and the School of Languages and Cultures. At this time we haven't had confirmation of what, if any, action they will call on UCU members at Sheffield to take, or when, in relation to this local dispute. We will continue to keep you updated.

17 November 2021: Outcome of UCU national ballot

Dear colleague,

As you will know, the University and College Union (UCU) recently balloted its members on several national issues, including proposed changes to USS (the pension scheme for staff on grades 6 and above), the 2021 pay settlement, and other employment-related matters (casualisation, gender/ethnicity/disability pay gaps and workloads).

At the start of November we were notified that Sheffield UCU members had obtained a mandate for strike action, and for action short of a strike. UCU's Higher Education Committee met on 12 November to consider the results and has announced that members are asked to take strike action from 1 - 3 December inclusive at 58 universities, including here at Sheffield. This will be followed by continuous action short of a strike, with members asked to work to their contracted hours and duties and not to undertake voluntary activities. Action short of a strike will start on 1 December and end no later than 3 May 2022 (when the mandate for any industrial action under these ballots expires).

This action will be challenging for our University community, and particularly for our students, who have recently returned to campus for face-to-face teaching after a difficult eighteen months. The University respects the right of staff to take industrial action. However, our priority is to minimise disruption for our students and colleagues, and to mitigate any impact on education, learning and research. We will continue to work with our local trade unions and encourage them to work with UCU at a national level to explore ways to resolve these disputes.

The local branch of UCU is also balloting members over changes in the Department of Archaeology and the School of Languages and Cultures. The local ballot closes on Friday 19 November.

Please refer to our industrial action web pages for further information, including FAQs and contact details, which we will continue to update.

We will continue to keep you updated.

With best wishes,

Koen Lamberts
Vice-Chancellor