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Redundancies

Pay deductions, ASOS and what it means to negotiate

Published: 28th April, 2021

Email sent to all members of Leicester UCU, 28 April 2021. On 26 April, we received a letter from Deputy Vice-Chancellor Edmund Burke outlining the Executive Board’s provisional approach to deducting pay from UCU members undertaking Action Short of a Strike (ASOS), due to commence on 4 May. His letter expresses disappointment that we did…

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Leicester UCU in 2 – April 16

Published: 16th April, 2021

At our AGM on 14 April, branch members overwhelming passed the following motion, calling for the greylisting of University of Leicester. In this week’s 2-minute video blog, Deirdre O’Sullivan, former vice-chair who has been supporting many at-risk members, reflects on the damage being inflicted on the University by the current redundancy processes, and explains why…

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Leicester UCU on Radio Leicester to discuss the forthcoming industrial action

Published: 16th April, 2021

Our Communications Officer, David Harvie, was invited to explain the positive strike mandate and forthcoming industrial action.

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Leicester UCU Ballot Result

Published: 14th April, 2021

Our ballot for industrial action to defend jobs and livelihoods at the University of Leicester – to defend the University of Leicester – closed earlier today. We are pleased to announce that we exceed the legal minimum threshold, achieving a turnout of 56.3%. This is a remarkable success given the challenges of holding a ballot…

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‘An insulting slap in the face’: ITV Central – 31 March

Published: 2nd April, 2021

ITV Central reported on what’s happening at our University on their 6 o’clock news programme on Wednesday 31 March. Their report includes interviews with Professor Simon Lilley, one of our professorial reps (at risk of redundancy from the School of Business) and with Dr Deborah Toner, our Campaigns and Social Media officer. University leaders “declined…

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Long-term liabilities at the University of Leicester

Published: 2nd April, 2021

We have claimed that the University of Leicester is ‘on the verge of bankruptcy’. This claim is based on our reading of the 2019/20 financial statements, that were published (several weeks later than usual) in early March, and on other publicly-available financial information, e.g. University executives’ decision to increase short-term borrowing from the Bank of…

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Shaping for a Strike

Published: 1st April, 2021

Materials sent in printed form to all members of Leicester UCU eligible to vote, 30 March 2021. Executives plead COVID-related delays for failing to publish their strategic vision for the University. But COVID has not caused any delays in planning to make 145 people redundant and separate them from their livelihoods. If implemented, these badly…

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On the likelihood of being made redundant from the School of Business

Published: 23rd March, 2021

Statistical modelling shows no evidence to support the claim that redundancies in the School of Business are about disinvesting from political economy and Critical Management Studies. By far the most statistically significant factor is union activism. An underperforming Economics, Finance & Accounting professor who researches in political economy has a 5% chance of redundancy if…

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Libary User Services – Counter Proposal

Published: 19th March, 2021

Colleagues at risk of redundancy have been encouraged to offer counter proposals to the business cases against them. In several of the eight targeted units and departments, at-risk staff have done just that, spending many hours. Here is the Counter Proposal created by our colleagues in the library. It’s a redacted version, in which direct…

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On dignity and respect…

Published: 19th March, 2021

“I no longer have words for the University’s executives. At least not words I can utter here without breaching the policy.” On dignity & respect at our University, where our “leaders” give us none.

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