JOINT PRESS STATEMENT
London Metropolitan University and UCU are pleased to announce that, following a meeting, chaired by Brendan Barber (General Secretary of the TUC) on Wednesday 18 July 2007 at the TUC, London Metropolitan University and UCU have reached an agreed position in relation to the issue of union recognition and talks on proposed redundancies.
Both sides have endorsed a set of principles for future joint working. The terms of the agreement are attached.'
Principles
In a spirit of partnership, Management and UCU agree to an exploration of new approaches in pursuit of the University’s strategic goals and objectives:
Both parties
- agree to conduct themselves such that industrial relations between the University's managers and union representatives is undertaken constructively and with integrity and mutual respect at all times. In this regard, management accepts the right of UCU representatives to represent the views of their members and UCU accepts the right of managers to manage.
- commit to working together openly, to ensure transparent and timely communication and discussion of issues of mutual interest.
- accept that they have a joint responsibility to seek to enhance the quality of educational provision.
- will seek to promote conditions of service, including financial and non-financial rewards, that reflect the value of staff, within the resource constraints of the University.
- commit to develop and promote ways of working that promote equality of opportunity, work/life balance and the health and welfare of the University's staff.
- commit to resolving issues of disagreement through agreed internal mechanisms before taking any action or initiating any publicity of any kind.
The realisation of these principles will be facilitated by an agreed collective bargaining framework, established by means of formal recognition and facilities agreements.
Given the agreement now reached between London Metropolitan University and the University and College Union (UCU) on the above issues, it is agreed that UCU will cease both its boycott of the University and its planned ballot for industrial action for the duration of time-limited talks. As well as covering the above points these talks will also include all the currently proposed redundancies, whether of full-time or part-time staff, including hourly paid part-time staff; with a view to reaching agreement by the end of September or earlier if practicable, therefore no action to initiate redundancies will take place within this timescale.