Information for students: industrial action
From: Kelly Coate, PVC for Education and Students
Date: 26.11.21
Dear students
It is possible that some staff at Sussex and Brighton universities will choose to take industrial action, which is their legal right. This will run from Wednesday 1 December to Friday 3 December.
BSMS will make every effort to minimise the disruption of any strike action on your education so that you can all continue to access your studies and expected learning outcomes.
We expect most (if not all) classes to be running as normal although this will depend on how many staff choose to take strike action.
Your studies:
Here are a few practical things to remember about your studies for next Wednesday, when the three consecutive days of strike action are due to start:
1. If we know that a teaching session is not taking place, you will receive a notification on MyStudies.
2. Please remember to regularly check MyStudies to see if your lecturer has given advance notice that your class is not taking place.
3. UCU members don't have to let us know if they're striking. This may mean that in some instances we might not be able to give advance notice or cancel your lectures or seminars.
4. If you come to campus and your class isn't happening, you can use the time for independent study. The Library and study spaces will be open as well as other campus services, such as sports facilities, cafés and bars.
5. Any assessments scheduled during the strike period should be taking place as originally scheduled unless you have been notified that they have been cancelled.
6. Deadlines for assessments that were due to be handed in during the strike period remain unchanged, unless you have been told otherwise.
Picket lines:
You will notice that there will be picket lines at the entrances to campuses from Wednesday, which will be made up of a small group of people supporting the strike. This is the usual situation in any strike action and you should not be prohibited from entering the campuses.
Travel to campus:
Buses will be travelling to the Universities throughout the industrial action.We expect that buses will not enter the campuses between midnight and 3pm on strike days. Between midnight and 3pm (i.e. in the morning and until early afternoon) buses are likely to stop on the A27 slip road and then near Falmer Station.
For service updates, see the Brighton & Hove Buses website here. We suggest you allow more time than usual to get to campus by bus.
Trains are due to run as normal on strike days.
A free taxi service will be provided for students who need support accessing parts of the campus.
Campus transport for disabled people
A minibus service will be provided for students who need support accessing parts of the campus from 9.30 until 3pm. The minibus will stop outside Sussex House on the North-South road and will go to Northfield via Refectory road. It will then return to Sussex House via East Slope road, Eastern Ring road and Southern road.You can show the driver a Helping Hand card, a Disabled Person’s Bus Pass or a Sunflower +Lanyard. This ensures those most in need can use the service.If you have a disability and your access to campus is disrupted, see the latest information on the Student Support Unit webpages.
If you are still unable to access the campus using the above transport arrangements due to your disability, we can arrange a return taxi journey from your home to campus. Call 01273 873465.
Teaching returns as normal from Monday 6 December.