London Metropolitan University UCU: preparations for the implementation of academic boycott

London Metropolitan University UCU: preparations for the implementation of academic boycott

Branches will be aware of a number of live issues at London Metropolitan and the many challenges facing the hard pressed UCU branch officers as they try to deal with a number of simultaneous disputes.

Last autumn, the union’s higher education committee (HEC) approved the move to ‘censure’ the university as the first stage in the agreed process that can result in moving to full academic boycott.

The HEC also set up an executive team that met with the branch officers and developed an agreed strategy centred on giving management the opportunity to negotiate a resolution to the disputes or face the implementation of a full academic boycott. UCU’s censure and academic boycott process can be found here. 

At its most recent meeting, the HEC made an assessment of the progress of negotiations and agreed to give management a final opportunity to resolve the disputes through time-bound negotiations.

At the time of writing the negotiations are ongoing. However, branches and members are now advised to make preparations for a full academic boycott of London Metropolitan University.

This will include boycotting:

·  applying for any advertised jobs

·  speaking at or organising academic or other conferences

·  giving lectures

·  accepting positions as visiting professors or researchers

·  writing for any academic journal which is edited at or produced by the institution in question

·  accepting new contracts as external examiners for taught courses

·  collaborating on new research projects.

Please watch this space for more updates in relation to this issue.

Best wishes

Paul Bridge
UCU head of higher education