workspace switcher uses keybindings I need for apps

Xubutu's workspace switcher (in the panel) is very important to me, but it's using a lot of keybindings that are also in use by my applications and other utiltities. I'd love to be able to remove them, modify them, or (perhaps best) disable them temporarily.

I have three monitors, and still find it necessary to have at least 4 workspaces (when I had only 2 monitors, it was 8 workspaces), so this is important to my productivity.

Examples:
- I like to use all sorts of function key combos with vim, in vim scripts that I write.
- byobu needs ctrl-function keys that the switcher uses to fast-track to a particular workspace, but I use the mouse pointer for workspace switching.

As it stands, these keys are not available to my apps.

Is there a way for me to disable or modify them in the switcher? Or pass them through somehow?