11 January 2005

To all supporters of the academic boycott of London Metropolitan University
***********************************************************
[0]

A meeting took place this evening between the NATFHE negotiating team and a sub-committee of the board of governors and the statement attached below was agreed.



I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who said that they were coming to support our picket tomorrow and hope that I have got to them in time to save a journey.



A fuller statement will be issued as soon as possible, but thanks again to every one of you.



Steve Cushion, NATFHE



++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++



"Formal cessation of all industrial action, with immediate effect, to allow time-limited negotiations to take place at ACAS, under the auspices of the ACAS conciliation service, regarding the material issues of the dispute. The NATFHE negotiating team will recommend to the meeting of the HEC on 21 January 2005, the lifting of the academic boycott for the duration of these talks.



These are to be time-limited talks, commencing immediately and to be completed by Monday 21 February 2005 at the latest, in order to allow any resultant proposals to be considered by a special meeting of the Finance and Human Resources Committee, which will make recommendations
to the Board of Governors on 16 March 2005 and also to allow NATFHE to consult academic staff at London Metropolitan University.



All external publicity on this matter during the period of the time-limited negotiations must be jointly agreed in advance.


No dismissal of University academic staff will take place as a consequence of the issues of this dispute for the duration of these talks.



This means that the strike action called for tomorrow, Wednesday 12th January, is called-off and NATFHE members should work normally.



The action has been called off as the outcome of the disputes committee meets the requirements on NATFHE for formal negotiations at ACAS.