Campus support staff at the University of Liverpool will strike for 48 hours tomorrow (Friday 20 December) in a dispute over pay and a bullying culture, Unite, the UK and Ireland’s largest union, said today (Thursday 19 December).

The dispute centres on the lack of consultation by university bosses over changes to Unite members’ terms and conditions, and their failure to tackle the issues relating to bullying and harassment of staff by management.

These imposed changes have reduced allowances on average by £3,000 per year in regard to time off in lieu, overtime payments, shift allowances and additional responsibility payments.

The 28 campus support services staff, who are responsible for the health, safety and security of the students, staff and car parks, as well as first responders in times of emergencies, will take strike action tomorrow from 07:00 until 06:59 on Sunday (22 December). This will be followed by further strike action on:

Monday 23 December until 06:59 on Saturday 28 December
Monday 30 December until 06:59 on Thursday 2 January

All the strikes will start at 07:00.

Unite is calling for the University of Liverpool’s senior management to come back to the negotiating table to address members’ concerns over the changes to their contracts and the recent independent investigation into bullying.

Unite regional officer Brian Nelson said: “Our members have made it absolutely clear that they will not put up with these contracts being imposed on them.

“Talks mediated by the conciliation service Acas with the University of Liverpool’s management will continue in early January in an attempt to resolve this dispute.

“Unite is calling on senior management to implement recommendations stated in the outcome of the cultural audit review and to put an end to the bullying culture within the management of this service.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

For more information please contact Unite officer Brian Nelson on 07734 716 505 and/or Unite communications officer Karen Viquerat on 07768 931 316. Unite press office is on:  020 3371 2065

Email: [email protected]

Unite is Britain and Ireland’s largest union with members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Len McCluskey.