Members have voted nationally for strike action following the derisory pay offer this year coming on the back of five years of effective pay cuts.
You can find more information here
The recent email from Martin McCrindle contained the following statement:
Heads of School and Service Directors have been requested, prior to the day of action, to ask members of staff if they intend to participate in the strike scheduled for 31 October, 2013 or take part in the action short of strike in order to establish levels of cover in their areas.
Please note: Individual members do not have to tell their employer whether they personally intend to take part in action short of strike action or go on strike. If your manager or HoD asks you to tell them or sign a form, you DO NOT have to do so. The law does not require you to do so, no matter what you are told. UNITE nationally, as required by law, gives employers 7 days’ notice of the number of members it is calling upon to take action in each workplace. If individual UNITE members are asked whether they personally intend to take strike action, the UNIITE representative should advise the manager or HoD that the information legally required has been provided by UNITE nationally.