Suggested strike out of office template if you are not on MAB next week:
I am currently taking strike action in response to punitive deductions made by my employer to the wages of staff participating in the ongoing Marking and Assessment Boycott (MAB) called by UCU.
The MAB is taking place as part of a national dispute. However, we also have a dispute local to Cardiff University over management’s decision to deduct 50% of wages indefinitely from staff refusing to mark work. Cardiff UCU believes these deductions are punitive, because they take no account of the scale of action (one member has had months of pay deducted for refusing to mark one piece of work), and because the starting date of deductions does not align with custom and practice for the marking of student work.
Our employer has so far offered little in the way of concessions: approximately two weeks where deductions are suspended, provided that all local action is called off, and that the national negotiations lead to the MAB being suspended. This is not good enough, and members will continue with strike action in our local dispute until the Cardiff University recognises that its policies are the most punitive in Wales and decides to do something about it.
Our strike covers graduation week. I will return to work on the 24th of July, but as I am working to contract as part of Action Short of Strike, it may take me a while longer to reply to you.
Suggested strike out of office template if you are on MAB next week:
I am currently participating in a Marking and Assessment Boycott (MAB) called by UCU.
My employer has told me that it does not accept partial performance. It has told me that any work I do undertake is voluntary and that I should not expect to be paid for it.
As all of my work tasks are currently voluntary, it may be some time before I reply to your message, or you may not get a reply at all. If there are urgent tasks that you believe are my responsibility, please contact my line manager, XXYY at XXYY@cardiff.ac.uk; you should plan that I will not respond to you.