A UCEA spokesperson said:
“UCEA and its members are surprised and dismayed to see some criticism being levelled at universities who are now deducting pay from their employees who took strike action. UCU chose to ask its members to strike for eight days in the run-up to Christmas, knowing full-well that their members would not be paid for the days they did not work in November and December. UCU, as any responsible trade union would, made it clear* to their members that they would lose a day’s pay for each day they withdrew their labour and advised members of how the union would use their ‘strike fund’ to support them. With any other unauthorised day of work missed by an employee, a university will process a pay deduction in the next payroll and they all have complex payroll systems and deadlines to adhere to. To do otherwise would also be unfair to those colleagues who have worked throughout. Universities will each manage the pay deductions according to their own processes and are not at fault that UCU chose to take strike action at this time of year.”
* see FAQs 16 and 23 on the UCU website at www.ucu.org.uk/he-action-faqs
ENDS
For further information please contact: Andy Fryer, Head of Communications and Membership (a.fryer@ucea.ac.uk) or Marc Whittaker, Communications and Events Manager (m.whittaker@ucea.ac.uk) on 020 7383 2444.
