Staff at a Liverpool university are furious at being 'forced to cross picket lines' when strike action takes place next week.
A Unison strike will see many staff members at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) walk out on the first day of term on Monday (September 26) in a row over pay. The union represents administrators, cleaners, library, security and catering employees and the action is part of a national push for fair pay. Follow up strikes are due to take place at LJMU on October 4 and 11.
But ahead of the action, the university's Vice-Chancellor, Mark Power, has written to all staff to announce that existing hybrid working arrangements will be suspended on the first day of the action - and all staff will be expected to sign in to confirm they have arrived at work.
READ MORE: Liverpool's 'disastrous' Car Free Day abandoned early amid traffic chaos
The move has not gone down well with staff members. The university and its boss have been accused of trying to divide staff by forcing those not involved in the Unison dispute to publicly 'cross the picket.'
In his letter to staff, Professor Power said: "Staff will be expected to attend their normal place of work on the day of the strikes and all hybrid working arrangements will be suspended on the day of the industrial action and the working day before the strike action.
"This means there will be no hybrid working for any members of staff on the 23rd and 26th of September. This is to ensure that we provide the best possible student experience during the period of industrial action and normal university activities can continue.
"On the day of strike action staff will be expected to sign a form on arrival, and also complete a form on Staff Infobase to confirm they have been at their normal place of work. Line managers will approve the form and those staff will get paid."
The letter adds that while staff who have already booked time off will have it honoured, no annual requests after the Vice Chancellor's letter will be approved. Any staff members who are unable to attend work on a day of strike action due to sickness will be required to provide a medical certificate to cover the sickness absence on the strike day(s) in order to receive payment.
The Vice Chancellor's 'patronising' letter has been met with fury by some staff members. One employee told the ECHO: "Removing the option of hybrid working and being forced to to sign in to account for our movements hasn't been received well by staff who have expressed concern at what appears as a crude and heavy handed strategy to force people to cross picket lines.
"Playing off non-striking staff, many who are co-workers, in such a divisive manner is to nobody's benefit other than senior management. Colleagues are dismayed at being used as pawns in this patronising fashion and if anything it has galvanised support for the strike action."
A spokesperson for Liverpool John Moores University said: "As the Vice-Chancellor has said the decision by Unison to strike on the first day of term is disappointing not least for the impression it gives to new students arriving in Liverpool.
“Our arrangements around staff attendance will help ensure that students on their first day are disrupted as little as possible.”
READ NEXT: Three shootings linked to gun used in Olivia Pratt-Korbel's murder
Olivia Pratt-Korbel's killer is 'top level' gangland thug being 'protected' say detectives
Murderer emotionless as he's jailed for 22 years for killing dad
