University of Birmingham threatens staff with pay cuts over UCU strikes

The University of Birmingham has threatened staff with pay cuts for engaging in strike action.

The University of Birmingham UCU revealed yesterday afternoon that all staff at UoB had received an email on Wednesday (02/02) threatening harsh pay deductions for supporting and engaging in Action Short of Strike (ASOS) and the Four Fights.

This comes after recent reports of further strike action from university staff for up to 10 days in February.

The Birmingham UCU (BUCU) said it is looking to call a members meeting soon and is looking at how it can support those who are at risk of pay deductions.

The email staff received (via @BirminghamUCU on Twitter)

According to the email that staff received, “the University reserves the right to deduct up to 100 per cent of pay” if staff are to participate in each day of the strike action.

BUCU Branch President David Bailey told The Birmingham Tab:  “The University of Birmingham is threatening to deduct 50 per cent of staff pay *in addition* to the 100 per cent of pay deducted for each day of strike action, as a threat if staff refuse to re-teach the classes missed during the strike days.”

“This will be on an ongoing basis, meaning an ongoing 50 per cent pay cut for all teaching staff who take strike action, until they agree to replace the teaching that was missed during the strike.”

The BUCU told The Birmingham Tab it is “extremely angry” about the email and view it as a “direct attempt to discourage the legal right to take strike action”.

Should it not be resolved, the Birmingham UCU said it is considering increasing the number of strike days if this 50 per cent pay deduction threat goes ahead.

Branch President David Bailey told The Birmingham Tab: “We hope the University of Birmingham and its new Vice Chancellor Adam Tickell will see sense and withdraw this unreasonable threat.”

The University of Birmingham were contacted for comment and a spokesperson responded:

“Our priorities are to protect student learning, particularly given the significant disruption that young people have faced during the pandemic, and to ensure that students and staff can continue to fully participate in campus life.  The University has been clear in communications with staff that, as is standard practice, any member of staff who chooses to take strike action will be deducted at the rate of 100 per cent pay for each day they choose to strike.  For Action Short of Strike (ASOS) which is working to contract, staff will be paid as normal and there will not be any withholding of pay provided that staff continue to work their contracted hours and duties, prioritising lost learning where relevant.  However, we will commence withholding of pay at the rate of 50 per cent for ASOS which involves partial performance of duties in relation to not rescheduling classes and lectures that are cancelled due to strike action or removing or not sharing materials with students related to those cancelled sessions. We are grateful to the majority of staff who will do everything they can to support our students through any period of strike action.”

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