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News Archives

Statement: Employment Tribunals

Published: 11th March, 2024

Leicester UCU celebrates last week’s ruling from an Employment Tribunal, that three former colleagues, David Harvie, Geoffrey Lightfoot and Simon Lilley, were unfairly dismissed by the University of Leicester. The three were among the victims, within the School of Business (ULSB), of the “Shaping for Excellence” redundancy programme. The case follows an earlier Tribunal ruling…

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University of Leicester Staff Survey 2022:
Damage Limitation or a Time for Genuine Change?

Published: 14th September, 2022

The results of the 2022 staff survey are a cause of concern for Leicester University branch of the University and College Union (UCU)—and should be a wake-up call to the executive board and University Council. The UCU wants the university to be a thriving and inclusive learning community. In light of this, we examine some…

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Phase 2: How Many Redundancies is Seven?

Published: 20th August, 2021

On 3 August Nishan Canagajarah announced phase 2 of ‘shaping for excellence’. In an email to all University staff, he stated: ‘The exact net reduction will depend on the outcome of the selection and consultation processes that will take place over the next few months. However, we know that this will not be more than…

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Thank You Dear Colleagues, 11 August

Published: 11th August, 2021

This is the most painful post I’ve had to write. Please take the time to read this, sincerely Alex Patel (acting Chair). Today, Wednesday 11th August, the executive board make a further twenty-one staff redundant. We continue to call for their reinstatement. They have done so much for our branch over the years, many as…

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The Global Academic Boycott: An Explainer for Prof. Edmund Burke

Published: 25th June, 2021

During a dispute resolution meeting on 23 June 2021, your Deputy Vice-Chancellor Edmund Burke wondered why National UCU had launched a global academic boycott against the University of Leicester on 4 May 2021. Specifically, he was unsure whether other university employers who are busy trying to make staff redundant have also been subject to an…

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