Nottingham Trent greylisted by UCU

Text of UCU communication

Dear colleagues,

It is with regret that I now write to you to ask you to prepare to greylist Nottingham Trent University.

The local branch have been involved in protracted negotiations over NTU's derecognition of the union, and have agreed to two further meetings with management (19 and 25 November). While some progress has been made and members are of course hoping for the best from negotiations, it is also necessary that we prepare for the worst.

You may remember that during August the branch held a consultative ballot in which over 90% of those voting agreed that the institution should be greylisted should the need arise. We are now unfortunately heading toward this point and the national union is making preparations for this to be officially implemented on Monday 1 December.

Information is already coming in to the national campaigns department in response to our initial questions relating to collaborative working with NTU and let me be clear, it has been the unity of our union, your support, that has brought results; the current negotiations didn't come out of thin air, they came from your emails of support, the 12,000 of you who signed the petition, the hundreds of you who attended the rally, the resounding ballot result and following strike action at NTU.

As of 1 December we will be asking colleagues across the country, other trade unions, labour movement organisations and the international academic community to support our members at the university in any way possible, including:

* non-attendance, speaking at or organising academic or other conferences at NTU
* not applying for jobs at NTU
* not giving lectures at NTU
* not accepting positions as visiting professors or researchers at NTU
* not writing for any academic journal which is edited from NTU
* not taking up new contracts as external examiners for taught courses.

As such, all UCU members are asked to consider the following questions and respond to campaigns@ucu.org.uk in order that we are ready to fully implement this most serious sanction should the need arise.

* Are you involved in collaborative research activity with NTU?
* Are you aware of any collaboration between NTU and other HE/FE institutions, including international?
* Are you planning to attend any conferences and/or are you booked as an external speaker/guest lecture?
* Are you aware of any high profile speakers or events being planned at NTU?
* Are you aware or involved in any other collaborative relationships – such as within sports or with business?
* Have you been approached to be an external examiner at NTU?

UCU remains committed to a negotiated solution and we are determined to secure our status as an independent trade union.

You can find out more at: www.ucu.org.uk/unionattack

Many thanks again for you support.

Sally Hunt
UCU general secretary

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