The last few minutes have had the cloud of multiple sectors taking industrial action looming above. Most notably, the education sector with UCU strikes front and centre. However, the proposed action for the next few weeks has been paused amid promising talks. Now, students will need to know if the UCU strikes have been cancelled.
It’s fair to say that the past few years have been pretty disruptive to the university experience. If it wasn’t a pandemic limiting contact time, it’s been industrial action cancelling multiple classes. Whilst neither of these things is the lecturers’ and teachers’ fault, it’s pretty important for students to know whether they’re coming or going.
Now, planned action may not be going ahead as planned due to “real progress” being made to meet the union’s expectations by employers.
Have The Upcoming UCU Strikes Been Cancelled?
UCU strike action for the rest of February and March has been paused, not cancelled. However, strikes will not take place for the rest of the month.
In their latest update, the university and college union confirmed that industrial action that was going ahead this week and later weeks has been paused. This is because they feel recent talks with employers about pay, conditions and pensions were going in the right direction.
This means that the strikes in February will not happen but those in March might. If an agreement cannot be met then strikes will still take place on the days previously proposed.
These are:
- Thursday, 23 February
- Monday, 27 February
- Tuesday, 28 February
- Wednesday, 1 March
- Thursday, 2 March
- Thursday, 16 March
- Friday, 17 March
- Monday, 20 March
- Tuesday, 21 March
- Wednesday, 22 March
Strike Action May Still Continue
The UCU warn that strike action will resume if employers do not deliver on their agreements. Re-ballots will take place next week which will determine if strikes will take place for the rest of the academic year.
On the negotiations, the UCU has said the following:
“Intensive negotiations will soon begin in the hope of delivering comprehensive final agreements on all issues in the disputes, but commitments have already been made to end the use of involuntary zero hours contracts, improve pension benefits to pre-cut levels and remodel the pay system so that it benefits more workers, particularly the lowest paid.
‘Today we can welcome real progress, but there is still work to do to resolve these disputes which remain very much live. Our union reserves the right to resume action and will re-ballot to allow further action to be taken if employers do not follow through on their commitment.”
Universities will update you if these plans change and if they cancel or adjust classes. For the time being, think that they’re still happening — even the early morning ones. If you’re still unhappy with the disruption you’ve had then check out the Student Group Claims for the possibility of some compensation.
