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Strike action w/c 3 July: Information for staff

28 June 2023

Your work may be affected by the rail workers’ overtime ban and teachers’ strike next week.

Trains in Paddington station ©Chris Moos

Rail workers’ overtime ban

The train drivers’ union, ASLEF, have announced an overtime ban on Monday 3 July – Saturday 8 July.

This action is short of a strike and will happen across the following 16 rail operators:
Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, Chiltern, East Midlands Railway, Greater Anglia, Great Western Railway, Great Northern, LNER, Northern, Southeastern, Southern (inclusive of Gatwick Express), South Western Railway (inclusive of Island Line), Thameslink, Transpennine Express and West Midlands Trains.

If you are coming into campus on the train, please check with the rail operator and allow extra time to get to your destination.
You can visit Transport for London, National Rail or the Citymapper app, to plan alternative types of transport such as bicycle and scooter hire, walking, buses etc. If you are unable to get to work using alternative transport, you should let your line manager know as soon as possible.

If transport strikes affect your ability to come into campus, you are welcome to work from home on the affected days, if your job lends itself to home working.

Staff unable to work from home can agree flexible solutions with managers such as using TOIL or making up lost time where possible. If alternative arrangements cannot be found, staff should arrange to take annual leave or unpaid leave, in line with our Special Leave Policy on travel and weather disruption.

Please keep following the news and the National Rail website to find out if your journey is likely to be affected.

Teaching strikes

The UK’s largest teaching union, the National Education Union (NEU) has announced that teachers across England will strike on Wednesday 5 and Friday 7 July.

Parents whose children attend affected schools will be notified by their school.

If staff need to take time off work for childcare responsibilities, we ask that managers are as understanding as possible and work to agree flexible solutions such as using TOIL or making up lost time where possible. If alternative arrangements cannot be found, staff should arrange to take annual leave or unpaid leave, in line with our Special Leave policy on travel and weather disruption.

Wellbeing support

Staff can access immediate support via phone, online or WhatsApp via our Employee Assistance Programme: Staff Support Service. This includes access to specific and qualified experts on Financial Wellbeing issues such as financial, tax and debt advisers.