Nottingham Trent staff threat of sanctions on day university celebrates first chancellor

In an attempt to get their message across to those participating in the event, a small number of NTU UCU members handed out information to the 2,000 plus guests explaining the current dispute between NTU and the union.
 
They also warned that NTU faces ignominy of becoming the first university to receive an academic boycott from UCU if it is forced to 'greylist' the institution. In a letter to the union, Sir Michael said he hoped for a swift resolution to the current impasse. See photos and further reports by NUJ member Alan Lodge
 
UCU is in dispute with the university over recognition of the union and has warned that if the issue cannot be resolved by the end of the month then NTU will be 'greylisted'. Greylisting is the ultimate sanction available to UCU members and is only ever used where a university or college refuses to engage in meaningful negotiations with a branch or local association. No institution has ever been greylisted in UCU's two-year history.
 
The union made clear today that it does not want to have to greylist NTU but warned that if it does it then it will be asking colleagues in the union, other trade unions, labour movement organisations and the international academic community to support its 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.

Over three quarters of NTU UCU members voted for industrial action in a ballot in September and on Tuesday 21 October they took a day's strike action. Over 12,000 people have signed a petition condemning NTU's actions and the union said it had already received support from across the academic community to back up the greylist if a deal cannot be struck.
 
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'The university's proposals are quite unique in higher education and opposition to them is far-reaching throughout the academic community. The eyes of the academic community are on NTU and we have been bolstered by the support we have already received should we be forced to press ahead with greylisting. We strongly feel that the current impasse is not in the interests of anyone connected to NTU and we have no desire to harm its proud reputation as a leading new university. We can only hope the university shares our concerns.'
 
NTU UCU representative, Mark Weinstein, said: 'Staff at Nottingham Trent have no desire to damage either their own reputation or that of the University, which is why we will have a dignified presence at today's event. What we want most of all is the current problems resolved as swiftly and painlessly as possible. Greylisting NTU would be incredibly damaging but UCU members at NTU will not, and should not have to, settle for anything less that the widely accepted standards of good practice that exist in the higher education sector in the UK.'