Notts - boycotts and biting back 1

Academic-related staff at Nottingham University need all the support they can get from the wider academic community ("Local pay plan sparks boycott call", August 6). The Association of University Teachers'

attempts to negotiate with the management at Nottingham over plans to bring in performance-related pay have proved fruitless. The vice-chancellor and his team have reneged on a promise made this year to negotiate within the memorandum of understanding agreed between unions and employers.

As a consequence of the management's refusal to keep its word, the AUT has had to resort to the ultimate action of instigating greylisting - basically placing an embargo on all contact with the university. This issue affects all staff, not just those at Nottingham. We are in danger of losing out as conditions of employment are gradually eroded by universities such as Nottingham trying to cut costs by hitting the softest target - staff.

If Nottingham's management refuses to see sense, then I for one will be supporting the greylisting when it comes into force on September 20.

Celia Popovic
Staff development adviser
Birmingham University