The employer was notified of the following forms of ASOS starting on 28 April 2025:
- Not working more than the nominal hours specified in your contract
- Not undertaking voluntary duties
- Not providing cover for absent colleagues
- Not providing cover for non-replaced staff
- Boycotting University-related activities relating to the Research Excellence Framework
Here’s some general guidance on how to go back to work under ASOS:
Work to contract, including not working more than the nominal hours specified in your contract. If you are working in a department or team that records flexi leave, ensure that all flexi leave you are entitled to is recorded and taken.
Inform line managers that you will be working to contract, and emphasise that it is their responsibility to ensure prioritisation of tasks within your contracted time. Ask this early, ask this often, and do not be shy in emphasising that non-prioritised tasks may not be completed if time does not allow. Similarly, if managers refuse to engage with this, you are within your rights to prioritise your work within your contracted hours how you see fit.
If some aspects of your workload are shared between members of a team, discussion within that team with regard to priority orderings might well be useful, as might requesting a team-wide meeting with your line manager with the aim of ensuring fair workload assignation for all members.
Do not undertake voluntary duties unless instructed to do so by your line manager, including but not limited to not participating in:
- congregation
- matriculation
- open days
- SAC grading committees
If you receive a management instruction to do something you can ask to have it in writing.
Do not provide cover for absent colleagues.
Do not provide cover for non-replaced staff.
Do not proactively reschedule activities that were due to have taken place during periods of industrial action; only reschedule if directly asked to do so by your line manager (and then see above on informing your line manager and prioritising work).
Boycott University-related activities relating to the Research Excellence Framework, e.g.,
- not conducting mock reviews
- not uploading accepted or published research to Durham Research Online (DRO)
It may be useful to keep a record of the work you’ve been doing so you can show your line manager how you’ve used up all your nominal hours.
If you feel pressured to work beyond your hours, or if you feel you have been punished for taking industrial action email help@durhamucu.org.uk