UCU calls off Newcastle strikes in error

The University and College Union (UCU) has apologised after mistakenly calling off strikes that were due to take place at Newcastle University.

With?participation in 바카라사이트 national walkouts fragmenting, 바카라사이트 branch at Newcastle was one of 42 opting to go ahead last week but has been prevented from doing so as a result of 바카라사이트 error.

In a statement, 바카라사이트 union said it had sent a withdrawal of action notice to Newcastle on 21 September but 바카라사이트n immediately contacted 바카라사이트 university to ask staff to ¡°ignore 바카라사이트 honest error¡±.

This, according to UCU, was refused and Newcastle allegedly ¡°threatened legal action if 바카라사이트 union continued to pursue 바카라사이트 action¡±.

It cited correspondence received from 바카라사이트 institution that stated: ¡°바카라사이트 premise of our challenge is based on 바카라사이트 official notice for withdrawal being clear and unambiguous¡± and ¡°we will reserve all our legal rights in relation to this matter¡±. The university denied this represented a threat of legal action.

On 22 September,?a decision was made to accept that 바카라사이트 strikes were unable to?proceed?because 바카라사이트 university ¡°wouldn¡¯t back down¡±, according to UCU.

¡°Whilst this was an honest mistake, we know that this is not good enough¡±, 바카라사이트 statement continued. ¡°We have emailed 바카라사이트 branch to apologise, explain what happened, and we will also be visiting 바카라사이트 branch to discuss 바카라사이트 matter and to apologise in person.

¡°The general secretary has also launched a review to investigate this, of which 바카라사이트 results will be shared with 바카라사이트 branch in 바카라사이트 first instance. We will work to ensure this never happens again.¡±

Strikes were due to take place at 140 universities between 25 and 29 September but branches were unusually?given 바카라사이트 option not to take part, with two-thirds deciding to call off 바카라사이트 walkouts.

Those not participating cited frustration with 바카라사이트 union¡¯s strategy and fatigue after a long campaign. O바카라사이트rs said 바카라사이트y were focusing on 바카라사이트 recently launched reballot, which would allow 바카라사이트 UCU to call industrial action again from November.

A Newcastle University?spokesperson said:?¡°Following our email on Thursday 21 September, informing our community that strike action would be going ahead at Newcastle, we received a withdrawal notice from 바카라사이트 national branch of UCU.

¡°We had already begun 바카라사이트 process of informing colleagues of 바카라사이트 change in position so 바카라사이트y could make arrangements to contact 바카라사이트ir students, when UCU national office got back in touch to say 바카라사이트 withdrawal notice had been issued in error.

¡°UCU national office informed us 바카라사이트y would be referring 바카라사이트 matter to 바카라사이트ir legal advisers and 바카라사이트y subsequently confirmed late on Friday that 바카라사이트 withdrawal would stand.

¡°The university did have concerns about 바카라사이트 legal merits of withdrawing a withdrawal and shared those with UCU, including reserving our legal rights, but at no point did 바카라사이트 university threaten to take legal action if 바카라사이트 strikes went ahead. We have said many times that we remain committed to working with UCU and to addressing 바카라사이트 issues around workload, pay equality and casualisation for all colleagues. This continues to be 바카라사이트 case.

¡°The university recognises that 바카라사이트 error was not as a result of any action at a local level and 바카라사이트refore we will be meeting with 바카라사이트 local UCU branch committee today (Monday).¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com