From Martin Atkinson | Director of HR and Organisational Development

Yesterday evening UCU head office informed us that they will be calling on Kent UCU members to take three days of strike action from Wednesday 1 – Friday 3 December on the ongoing disputes over changes to the USS pension scheme and over Pay and Conditions. They will also be calling on UCU members to start a period of Action Short of a Strike (ASOS), which will see members working to contract and refusing any voluntary duties for a period starting 1 December and ending no later than 3 May 2022. Further strike days may also follow in the New Year. This follows the mandates secured in the recent ballots.

We are continuing open and constructive dialogue with the branch so that we do as much as we can to avoid this planned action taking place. In the meantime, there are a number of workstreams led by the Industrial Action Response Group prioritising what we will need in place to support students and staff throughout the period of industrial action, with more information on the background to the dispute on our Industrial Action staff webpages. I will be in touch shortly with a further update on this, along with details of an upcoming staff webchat where you can ask any questions you have about this.

As before, we will all need to continue to be respectful of differing views about the issues on the ballots. I will also continue to keep you all up to date on developments as we navigate the coming weeks, including ensuring students are fully informed of what this will mean for them throughout.

Martin Atkinson | Director of HR and Organisational Development