• The Kent Executive Group (EG) have ripped up their guarantee of ‘No compulsory redundancies as a result of the A&H review’. This was their guarantee:

“Karen and the Executive Group wish to provide a further specific commitment to all Arts and Humanities staff that there will be no  compulsory redundancies as a result of the current review.” – 19th October 2022

• University of Kent is now one of the few employers in the history of the sector to renege on a public commitment of this nature. Some members of EG no longer respect the basic rules of industrial relations. The branch is now taking extraordinary steps to enforce the current – and any future – guarantees over job security. Kent UCU has received extensive advice and strong validation from Regional UCU officials and the national Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS). The UCU branch will be immediately requesting “Collective Conciliation” via ACAS.
• The EG members who pushed to renege on the ‘No CRs’ guarantee have destroyed all trust with the union – and a substantial number of non-members to whom the deal also applied.
• Collective consultation for redundancy processes will begin in A&H today. We hope affected members will hear more details at the divisional meeting this afternoon.
• Guidance for affected A&H members is forthcoming but has to be duly checked by UCU regional officials. The branch is setting up the strongest casework support system in its history to advise affected members.