As we’ve detailed previously, a member of support staff working at the University wrote a letter to the VC challenging him to live on the same salary for a month, and highlighting how hard it was to live on the pay the University offers its lowest paid staff. After sharing the letter and asking for…
The letter can be read and signed here uobunison.org.uk/challenge (the page also includes a video of 12 members reading it out). On Thursday afternoon (1st of August 2019), members of UNISON University of Birmingham branch went to VC David Eastwood’s office to hand-deliver the challenge letter addressed to him and the rest of senior management. The…
Incompetency, inconsistency, extra penalisation, and lies are what our members have experienced on this month’s pay day Strikes are a last resort for any trade union branch and ours is no different. This is partly because we take our jobs seriously and need to balance any short-term disruption against the improvements we are looking for…
Summary of the July strike days: We had a fantastic time during the two days of strike action. A new samba band emerged on the pickets, many supporters travelled from afar to be with us and show support, many brought food for the strikers, and children had the opportunity to learn about what solidarity…
This is how the University of Birmingham were trying to break the strike earlier this week – by asking students to come in for ‘last minute shifts’ tomorrow. The email was sent out during our negotiators’ meeting with management (during which they made no new offer!). For information, Worklink is a university department (which they call…
UNISON strike action at the University of Birmingham – ‘Real Birmingham Heroes’ support staff are demanding better pay, equality, and improved working conditions UNISON branch’s demands are that the University: Gives an above RPI inflation pay increase to all support staff; Becomes a Living Wage Accredited employer; Eliminates the gender pay gap by 2020; Fixes the…
We have been sent lyrics in relation to our strike, by two members, the night before our 2nd day of strike action. Here they are: One voice. Unison: let’s talk. Management: no Unison: come on lets talk Management: no Unison: members, let’s vote Members: let’s strike Management: let’s talk (feeling nervous) Unison: too late,…
Yesterday we held three meetings with large numbers of members where we considered an offer from the University of: A 1% one off payment, based on salary at 31st July, with a minimum payment of £100 *IF* we call off the dispute altogether They would pay 2% for the 2019 settlement on the 1st of…
Read the letter here: uobunison.org.uk/challenge List of supporters: https://uobunison.org.uk/supporters-of-the-challenge Hundreds of higher education staff, students, and alumni have endorsed a letter challenging University of Birmingham senior managers to live off the salary of a typical member of support staff for a month. Other signatories include Birmingham MP Preet Gill and local councillors. The list can be…
You might also want to read our Strike Action mythbusters: https://uobunison.org.uk/strike-action-mythbusting
