Birmingham Uni staff may strike

[BAJR]

Academics at the University of Birmingham will be balloted over strike action in protest at what a union has described as the institution's "campaign of forced redundancies and aggressive management tactics".

The Birmingham branch of the University and College Union said 17 academics in the Institute of Archaeology and Antiquity were threatened with redundancy, as well as at least seven from its department of nursing and physiotherapy and two in its School of Education.

"Whilst some of the staff who filled these posts may have negotiated voluntary severance deals with the university, there are a number of staff who still face compulsory redundancy, and for those who remain at the university the reduction in posts will result in an increase in workload," it says, in a statement.

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/st...422524&c=1

[Bologneighs]

This kicked off half way through making a postgrad application to the IAA for their archaeology course. My application's on hold until I've a better idea of how the dept. will support its courses and students with reduced staffing, etc but it's not looking good. The 3 week University ballot period ends this thursday, 14 feb for staff at risk of redundancy at the IAA. If strikes go ahead, 3 half-day walk outs are planned from Feb 28 as well as 2 full day strikes. The only staff not as risk are the professorial staff - this is stated in the docs in the link:
[URL="http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/iaa_review_and_redundancy_proces"]
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/ia...ncy_proces[/URL]

I'm also concerned about the (negative) impact of letting go of so many key staff in the IAA (& whatever incarnation it becomes) will have on the REF Assessment, which replaces the RAE. The deadline for REF submissions is 29 November 2013, with assessment in 2014 and the results coming out the following year.

[Bologneighs]

B'ham Uni UCU vote's to strike:

http://birminghamucu.org/2013/02/15/bucu...anagement/

Earlier press release:

http://birminghamucu.org/2013/01/28/pres...t-tactics/

Earlier response re IAA to Michael Whitby

http://birminghamucu.org/2013/02/05/bucu...el-whitby/