Strike action temporarily suspended at Sheffield Hallam University in dispute over increased workload

The University and College Union (UCU) branch at Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) said it had agreed to temporarily suspend strike action and issue an e-ballot to union members in a bid to try and bring the dispute to a close.

It has been in dispute with local management since May 2019 over how work is allocated, which the UCU says has seen some members’ workloads increase by as much as 15 per cent.

Union members recently took part in strike action both over the local dispute and a national dispute over pay, equality, casualisation and workload.

Posting on Twitter, SHU said: “Following recent negotiations, strike action related to the local dispute on work planning will be suspended. Whilst there will be no strike based on the local dispute next week, the ongoing national dispute may still continue to affect some teaching activity.”

Although they will not be walking out in the local dispute, the SHU UCU branch will join other university staff in national strikes this week.

Jane Fearon, SHU branch secretary for the UCU, said: “The offer falls short of what we had initially asked for: we have reasonable increases in time for marking and assessment, staged, delayed and relatively small increases in relation to administration, key roles have been moved to represent more hours on a workplan but we have no increase in time for student support (Academic Advising).”

It has been agreed that a new mechanism to monitor and review workloads will be developed to streamline working systems and find a better way to allocate time for things like assessment and feedback.

Jane added: “We acknowledge the financial pressures facing SHU and the Higher Education sector more generally and in recent weeks negotiations with management have become increasingly constructive, hence the decision to work to bring the dispute to a close based on the current offer.”

SHU UCU members will be on the picket lines for the national dispute from 8am every day between March 9 and 13 and there will be a joint rally with the University of Sheffield in Barkers Pool from 12pm on Wednesday, March 11.