Skip to Main Content

The 2021 USS Strike: ASOS

A selection of content from the 'Great University Strike of 2018'

Against the Slow Cancellation of the Future

Boycott List of Universities threatening to deduct pay if staff do not reschedule classes

UCU members are asking that potential students and existing alumni boycott the universities that are taking punitive action against their staff.  A blog is being maintained as well as a list which potential donors and students can view here.

Why University Staff are Striking

Action Short of a Strike aka ASOS

Ninety-three per cent of UCU members voted to take Action Short of a Strike or ASOS. ASOS is when university staff work to contracted hours which are normally between 35 and 37 hours per week.  This means staff work to contract and do not 

  • reschedule classes or lectures which are cancelled due to the strikes
  • provide cover for absent colleagues
  • undertake voluntary work

This is a legal right and some universities have jeopardised relations with their staff by threatening to take punitive action such as  deducting pay if staff do not reschedule classes.  

Open Letter to Universities Engaging in Punitive Action Against Staff During the Strike and ASOS 03.03.18

During the recent UCU strike regarding pensions several institutions engaged in punitive actions against their staff. 

This included, for example: 
* Introduction of heavy financial penalties on staff taking 'action short of a strike' (ASOS) if they refused to reschedule lectures (and so on) or cover for absent colleagues. 
* Seeking to undermine the strike action by offering financial incentives to reschedule work. 
* Punishing staff on precarious contracts even more severely (e.g. graduate teaching assistants). 

UCU General Secretary, Sally Hunt has made it clear that 'universities that wish to exploit the law and punish their staff as much as possible are storing up problems for the future and risk prolonging the dispute". 

We agree. 

We the undersigned will boycott these universities by,

for example: 
* Revoking regular donations and declining to donate in future to alumni funds as a graduate of these institutions. 
* Withdrawing from and refusing future requests to be an external examiner on a teaching programme at these institutions. 
* Withdrawing from and declining invitations to speak at these institutions. 
* Choosing not to apply to positions at these institutions.

We will continue to boycott these universities for this and any future period in which they engage in such punitive actions against their staff. 

Signed

#ASOS #USSStrike