Uni staff to vote on hybrid working strike action

More than 340 members of the Unite union will be balloted for strike action

Support staff at the University of Liverpool are to be balloted on taking strike action in their dispute with management about hybrid working.

More than 340 members of the Unite union who are employed in administrative roles will vote in the coming weeks.

Unite, which warned that strikes could begin in late April, said staff had not been consulted before being told to increase the amount of time they work on campus.

The university said: "We are aware of the current ballot for industrial action and, should the trade unions achieve a mandate, we will have the necessary mitigations in place to seek to ensure students will not be adversely impacted."

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "The University of Liverpool is guilty of making heavy-handed management diktats without any thought to the effect it will have on its dedicated workforce.

"The demand to return to the workplace is not fit for purpose and needs to be shelved."

'Strike the right balance'

Responding to news of the strike ballot, a university representative said: "Formal consultation with our recognised trade unions has taken place in line with our agreed procedures."

They added: "We offer progressive employment practices and a wide range of options which provide colleagues with flexibility and choice and support work-life balance.

"Many staff already spend all or most of their working time on campus and the change to at least 60% for those who work part of their time from home is intended to strike the right balance as a face-to-face higher education provider.

"It will both enhance the experience of campus for our students and improve the impact colleagues have in their roles by spending more time together, whilst retaining the benefits and positives which staff value about working remotely."

The university also said colleagues had been encouraged to speak to their managers about any personal circumstances which may make it "challenging" for them to move to the proposed new arrangements.