Staff trade unions About

The University is committed to working within a constructive employee relations environment that will enhance organisational effectiveness and encourage staff to respond positively.

Formal and informal communication networks with staff and trade unions are encouraged, to facilitate understanding and co-operation.

The university recognises UNISON and GMB for collective bargaining in respect of professional services staff and the UCU for collective bargaining in respect of mainstream academic staff.

Each of the recognised trade union has a recognition agreement with the university, which includes consultation forums with management and a facilities agreement that includes time off for trade union activities.

We recognise labour rights (freedom of association and collective bargaining) for all, including women and international staff.

2023-24 trade union facility time reporting

Regulations came into force on 1 April 2017 requiring us to publish information on the time our recognised trade unions spend on facility time each year.

2017/18 was the first publication year and data must be published by 31 July each year.

Facility time is defined as the provision of paid or unpaid time off from an employee's normal role to undertake trade union (TU) duties and activities as a TU representative. There is a statutory entitlement to reasonable paid time off for undertaking union duties.

We recognise three trade unions: UCU, UNISON and GMB.

Nine employees (6.66 FTE) were relevant union officials during the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.

The proportion spent by union officials on facility time was:

• 0% of working hours: 0 representative
• 1 to 50% of working hours: 8 representatives
• 51 to 99% of working hours: 1 representatives
• 100% of working hours: 0 representative

808.67 hours were paid in facility time.

The percentage of the total pay bill spent on facility time was 0.05%.

No hours were spent on paid trade union activities.