University union Coventry branch will protest 'anti-union dirty tricks' - The Coventry Observer

University union Coventry branch will protest 'anti-union dirty tricks'

Coventry Editorial 6th Apr, 2018 Updated: 6th Apr, 2018   0

STAFF and members of the controversial Coventry University Group will demonstrate against ‘anti-union dirty tricks’.

Two protests have been organised by the Coventry branch of the University and College Union (UCU) for Wednesday April 18 and Wednesday May 16.

As we reported last month, the UCU says the institution’s subsidiary company – Coventry University Group (CUG) – is exploiting a legal loophole and has set up a ‘sham’ trade union – the Staff Consultative Group (SCG).

The CUG has signed a recognition agreement for it to represent staff – denying them official UCU representation.




As we revealed last week, figures obtained by the Coventry UCU show inferior pay and pension schemes and often longer working hours for staff.

Staff from other universities as well as city MP Jim Cunningham have blasted the the university for denying its staff official representation by the UCU in negotiations for improved contractual terms.


A message sent to staff and members of Coventry University and the UCU read: “As you will have seen, there have been many developments in the #CovUniShame campaign, which is concerned with getting our colleagues in CU Coventry the UCU recognition they have fought for and deserve, shamefully snatched from them by the imposition of a ‘shame union’ by Coventry University management.

“Please can you make every effort to attend these demonstrations, we understand the first one is in the Easter holidays, but we must support our colleagues as this is not just an attack on them, but on UCU and the trade union movement as a whole.”

The demonstration dates and details:

– Wednesday April 18 – Solidarity protest and rally, 1pm. Assemble outside Graham Sutherland Building, Cox Street, Coventry CV1 5PH

– Wednesday May 16 – March and demonstration to lobby the University Board of Governors. Details to be confirmed.

 

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