¹û¶³Ó°Ôº

Following a number of meetings last week, ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº and the UCU (in consultation with ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº's two other campus trade unions) have reviewed progress in achievement of this year's 6% budget improvement. ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº is actively committed to avoiding compulsory redundancy and has a strong track record in this regard. ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº has confirmed that the Dean of Life Sciences plans to advise ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Council, no later than 14th May, that a Redundancy Committee to reduce the number of academic posts in the Faculty will not be necessary. She will be able to do this as soon as all volunteers have been able to formally confirmÌý acceptance of their voluntary severance and early retirementÌý packages.

¹û¶³Ó°Ôº has confirmed that suitable alternative employment can be offered to all UCU members displaced in the current change programmes to achieve this year's budget improvement in the Registry, Life Sciences Administration, Library Services and Museums & Collections. ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº has established a Joint Consultative Group to review future workforce planning and to revise ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº's organisational change and redeployment policies in light of recent experience.

As a result of these assurances the UCU has today agreed to suspend its dispute and the strike action called for 5th May will not now go ahead.