The University is implementing an updated approach to hybrid working for professional services (PS) staff.
PS staff cover many of our non-teaching roles and most staff already spend all or most of their working time on campus to support our students and ensure the smooth running of buildings, accommodation and the wider estate.
The change, which will come into effect before the beginning of the next academic year, will ensure that those who work part of their time remotely spend at least 60% of their time on campus, up from our current expectation of 40%.
We are proud to offer progressive employment practices and a wide range of options which provide colleagues with flexibility and choice to support work-life balance. The change is aimed at enhancing the experience of campus for our students and improving the impact we have in our roles by spending more time together, whilst retaining the benefits and positives which staff value about working remotely. Support is in place for colleagues who have personal circumstances, such as disabilities or caring responsibilities, which may make it challenging for them to move to the revised expectations.
Many of our academic, teaching and research staff have worked in a flexible way governed by teaching and research commitments for some time and there are no changes proposed to those arrangements.
Trade union consultation, ballots and notification of intended action
After a period of formal trade union (TU) consultation across November and December, dialogue has been maintained to try and resolve the remaining areas of concern raised by the TUs. Whilst agreement with the TUs has not been reached, the process has been constructive and had led to several changes including a longer timeframe to better support staff transitioning to the revised expectations.
Nonetheless, the University and College Union (UCU) and Unite have both recently held selective ballots of relevant PS sub-sections of their membership, which have indicated support for industrial action and action short of a strike (ASOS). An initial ballot conducted by UCU of their full branch membership earlier in the spring did not reach the relevant threshold.
We have now received notification from both unions that they will ask relevant members of PS staff to take strike action on Friday, 20 June 2025, which is one of our main University Open Days for prospective students. There is very limited teaching taking place on campus during this period, but if there are likely be to any specific areas of disruption then these will be communicated locally by department where relevant.
We have also been notified that both UCU and Unite intend to take ASOS beginning Friday, 20 June which primarily consists of working to contract (for example, not taking part in any overtime).
These mandates will remain active across the summer months and we will continue to engage with both unions over the coming weeks to try to resolve the dispute.
Further information about industrial disputes and our recognised campus trades unions are available via your My Liverpool portal.