Union halts university strikes with hope of deal over change

A STRIKE at Leeds University which had been set to start today has been suspended after an 11th hour agreement was reached between university management and union bosses.

The University and College Union (UCU) was due to hold three days of strike action in a dispute over the threat of compulsory redundancies.

But both Leeds University and the UCU announced the industrial action has been suspended following talks brokered by conciliatory service Acas.

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The union said the immediate threat of compulsory redundancies at the university's Faculty of Biological Sciences had been lifted. Both are also close to an agreement on a new process for managing any

organisational change in future.

The UCU said all industrial action will be suspended for up to four weeks.

A university spokeswoman said: "Following talks through ACAS over the last week, the UCU has called off the three one-day strikes that were due to take place at the University tomorrow, March 2 and March 4.

"The new process – which is subject to negotiation with the other two campus unions – is intended to reinforce collegiality and the engagement of staff in any process of organisational change."

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The new process for managing organisational change will mean that if any plan includes job cuts it will need the approval of the University Council.

Leeds University is cutting jobs as part of a review of its Biological Sciences department and has also launched a major cost-cutting programme aimed at saving 35m by 2011 which the UCU fears could lead to up to 700 redundancies.