1. Introduction
2. The Legislation and Principles of the Disclosure of Information
3. Disclosure of Information at National Level
4. Disclosure of Information at Local Level

The University agreed to adopt locally the recommended guidelines on disclosure of information drawn up by the Central Council for Non-teaching Staffs in Universities (now replaced by the Universities and Colleges Employers Association - UCEA).

Introduction

The purpose of these guidelines is to confirm a spirit of co-operation between universities and the participating trade unions towards the establishment of a code of practice and procedures for the disclosure of information for collective bargaining purposes.

The Legislation and Principles of the Disclosure of Information

2.1 The Employment Protection Act 1975, now incorporated into the Trade Union and Labour Relations (consolidation) Act 1992, contained provisions relating to the general duty of employers to disclose information for the purposes of collective bargaining. Pursuant to the provisions of the Act the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) issued a Code of Practice containing guidelines on the disclosure of information. These guidelines take account of the provisions in the Act and the ACAS Code of Practice.

2.2 The main principles underlying these guidelines may be summarised as follows:-

1. the trade union is recognised by the employer for collective bargaining purposes for the employees on whose behalf the information is sought and the information relates to the terms and conditions of employment of those employees;
2. the trade union should normally submit a written request outlining the information sought;
3. the information sought should be information without which the recognised trade union would be to a material extent impeded in carrying on collective bargaining with the employer;
4. it is information which is reasonable for the employer to disclose and which it would be in accordance with good industrial relations practice to disclose for the purpose of collective bargaining.

2.3 The guidelines recognise that in the university employment situation negotiations take place at both national and local level and so they have been formulated for use at these respective levels.

Disclosure of Information at National Level

3.1 The practice in national negotiations is to disclose information on the following matters to the extent to which they may be the subject of national bargaining:

1. Salaries and the total annual earnings bill (including overtime and shift allowances)
2. Grade definitions
3. Hours of work
4. Annual leave (including public and other holidays)
5. Sick pay
6. Maternity leave
7. Special leave with pay
8. Post-entry training

3.2 Information on other matters which may be the subject of national negotiations e.g. pensions will be given by agreement in response to a written request.

3.3 It will be the responsibility of the trade unions not individual universities to make available to the local trade union branches, information which is supplied by universities to the UCEA for collective bargaining at national level.

3.4 Any information provided for national negotiations will normally be presented in respect of universities as a whole and not in such a way that individual institutions or individual employees can be identified.

Disclosure of Information at Local Level

The UCEA recommend that the following guidelines should be used in providing information at local level:-

4.1 General Information

1. A copy of the University calendar
2. Published accounts of the University
3. Relevant information about the organisational structure of the University
4. Information on the financial position of the University

4.2 Staffing Information - Information which is supplied (usually on an annual basis) for national negotiations covering the separate groups of non-teaching staff comprising:-

1. the salary scales/wages rates and numbers of staff in each grade (both full-time and part-time) and other staff in salary scales/wages rates traditionally associated with agreements for those staff sub-divided between those funded centrally and those funded by external sources (e.g.the research councils);
2. the total pay bill for the staff concerned;
3. the cost of any overtime and shift payments included within that total.

4.3 The above list is not exhaustive; information on certain additional items may be required from time to time in accordance with particular circumstances.

4.4 Any information provided for local negotiation will normally be presented in such a manner that individual employees cannot be identified and that personal details relating to individual employees will not be revealed.

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• Last reviewed: 28 February 1998