This letter was sent to UEB on the 29th June 2023 and continued a chain of prior correspondence. We received a reply to this message on the 4th July.

The original letter, sent as a PDF is also available.

Dear Cardiff University Executive Board,
Thank you for your letter in response to our proposal to make a joint statement.

The Marking and Assessment Boycott (MAB) last year was mandated locally and individual branches were therefore able to reach local agreements to end the Boycott.

The current MAB is nationally mandated and we are therefore unable to settle this as a single branch. We can collectively contribute to ending the MAB by making a joint statement for UCEA and UCU to negotiate.

The upcoming strike action is a local issue. We are striking in response to your punitive deductions over the MAB, and your reluctance to release a joint statement with us.

If you agree to a joint statement with us, we could cancel some of the strike days. Will you agree to proceed on reaching an agreement on a joint statement?

We will call off all the proposed strike days if an agreement is also made on reducing the deductions you are imposing for participation in the MAB. Will you agree to negotiate with an aim to reduce these deductions?

Sincerely, Cardiff UCU