With regret, Kingston University UCU are calling for all members and colleagues to implement an immediate boycott of all activities related to Athena Swan accreditations within Kingston University.

While the union supports the principles of the Athena Swan programme nationally, and recognises the hard work of colleagues engaging with the programme locally, we have completely lost faith in the University’s commitment to pledges made under the Athena Swan banner and in their wider commitment to gender equality, and support for parents and carers.

Among the significant, serious, and longstanding concerns Kingston University UCU has, are:

• Failures to seriously tackle sexual misconduct and violence, and put in place adequate safeguarding measures.
• Poor treatment and refusals of reasonable requests for flexible working from staff with caring responsibilities.
• Staff on maternity leave being made redundant.
• Minimal Paternity Leave
• Inequality in Promotion and Pay

We have drawn up a set of demands that Kingston University can agree to in order for the boycott to be lifted. Read these demands and find further information about these issues on our website here: https://kingston.web.ucu.org.uk/athena-swan-boycott/

Our current working-to-contract as part of Action Short of a Strike means members should not be undertaking additional voluntary duties such as sitting on charter mark committees (this has revealed how much vital work on equalities is done without proper workload time allocation, creating barriers to involvement for those who are unable to consistently work additional unpaid hours).

Although it closely relates to our national Four Fights dispute, this boycott is a separate local campaign. We expect members to adhere to the boycott until our demands our met and Kingston University commits, within an agreed timeframe, to take meaningful action to address these issues.

Please contact us with any queries and get involved in this campaign and other branch activity.