FYI...

(I'm sure plenty of you in the UK know about this, but here it is just 
in case, and so international colleagues know the score.)


-----Original Message-----
From: sent on behalf of Sally Hunt, UCU general secretary <[log in to unmask]>

Dear colleagues,
It is with regret that I now write to you to ask you to prepare to
greylist Nottingham Trent University.

The local branch have been involved in protracted negotiations over
NTU's derecognition of the union, and have agreed to two further
meetings with management (19 and 25 November). While some progress has
been made and members are of course hoping for the best from
negotiations, it is also necessary that we prepare for the worst.

You may remember that during August the branch held a consultative
ballot in which over 90% of those voting agreed that the institution
should be greylisted should the need arise. We are now unfortunately
heading toward this point and the national union is making preparations
for this to be officially implemented on Monday 1 December.
Information is already coming in to the national campaigns department in
response to our initial questions relating to collaborative working with
NTU and let me be clear, it has been the unity of our union, your
support, that has brought results; the current negotiations didn't come
out of thin air, they came from your emails of support, the 12, 000 of
you who signed the petition, the hundreds of you who attended the rally,
the resounding ballot result and following strike action at NTU.

As of 1 December we will be asking colleagues across the country, other
trade unions, labour movement organisations and the international
academic community to support our members at the university in any way
possible, including:

     * non-attendance, speaking at or organising academic or other
       conferences at NTU
     * not applying for jobs at NTU
     * not giving lectures at NTU
     * not accepting positions as visiting professors or researchers at NTU
     * not writing for any academic journal which is edited from NTU
     * not taking up new contracts as external examiners for taught courses.

As such, all UCU members are asked to consider the following questions
and respond to [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> in
order that we are ready to fully implement this most serious sanction
should the need arise.

     * Are you involved in collaborative research activity with NTU?
     * Are you aware of any collaboration between NTU and other HE/FE
       institutions, including international?
     * Are you planning to attend any conferences and/or are you booked
       as an external speaker/guest lecture?
     * Are you aware of any high profile speakers or events being planned
       at NTU?
     * Are you aware or involved in any other collaborative relationships
       – such as within sports or with business?
     * Have you been approached to be an external examiner at NTU?

UCU remains committed to a negotiated solution and we are determined to
secure our status as an independent trade union.
You can find out more at: www.ucu.org.uk/unionattack
<http://www.ucu.org.uk/unionattack>

Many thanks again for you support.

Sally Hunt
UCU general secretary

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===
University and College Union
www.ucu.org.uk <http://www.ucu.org.uk/>
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-- 

Anthony Ince
Research Student
Department of Geography,
Queen Mary, University of London,
Mile End,
E1 4NS

http://www.geog.qmul.ac.uk/staff/incea.html