As you may be aware, UCU have balloted their members over the 2016/17 HE employers pay offer and following the rejection of the offer have called two days of strike action on the 25 and 26 May 2016.
The final offer from the employers was 1.1% This should be seen in the light of the real terms cut in income of 14.5% that HE employees have suffered over the last 6 years.
Therefore our colleagues in UCU here (and across the rest of the country) will be on strike on those days and will be setting up picket lines at Senate House and Stewart House.
We have written to the UoL UCU branch offering them the full support of the UoL IWGB branch and our solidarity with their action. We also suggested that they organise an open meeting on the issue so we will let you know about that as soon as we hear.
The IWGB also rejects this pay offer and we will be consulting you about next steps over the next few weeks.
Whilst IWGB members have not been balloted and are therefore not taking industrial action on these dates, a number of IWGB members will be unwilling, as a matter of principle, to cross UCU picket lines.
The IWGB has approached the University regarding this. The University has confirmed that, other than the deduction of pay for any absence, no further action will be taken against members who choose this course of action on 25 and 26 May.
Please remember that our pay will depend on the strength of support for these and any future days of industrial action!
If you have any questions at all please get in touch with danny.millum@sas.ac.uk.
Independent Workers Union of Great Britain - Universities of London Branch 