On June 15, UCU confirmed that they will be moving ahead with a ballot for industrial strike action at UK universities. This announcement has come after vice chancellors failed to make an improved pay offer.
The joint higher education trade unions (UCU, GMB, EIS, Unite and Unison) met with employer representatives Universities and College Employers’ Association (UCEA) on June 14. They were told there would be no increase to the employers’ 3% pay offer.
UCU said that the formal dispute process has now concluded, and they will continue with their preparations for an industrial action ballot. If this is successful, every university in the UK will be hit by strike action in the autumn.
Jo Grady announces industrial action ballot
UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: ‘The employer body UCEA has refused to improve its meagre 3% pay offer for university staff, an offer which would represent another devastating real-terms pay cut.’
Grady explained that university staff are ‘sick and tired’ of being undervalued, and UCU will continue its preparations for a ‘UK wide industrial action ballot’ which will open this summer.
‘Vice chancellors were given the opportunity to call on UCEA to increase its offer, but they refused, despite acknowledging the cost-of-living crisis has got worse for staff. Employers understand the significance of this decision and have chosen to attack pay and fuel a sector wide dispute which will hit universities in the Autumn,’ she said.
UCU shared the news on Twitter, where they wrote: ‘University employers have again refused to improve on their meagre 3% pay offer. Staff are sick and tired of being undervalued and will vote on UK-wide strike action in the summer.’
‘Staff don’t want to strike’
The UCU Twitter page recently responded to discussions over university strikes during BBC Question Time. One audience member said that he ‘100%’ supports pay rises for educators, but opposes strikes, and discussed the impact that the strikes have had on students He explained that the strikes were ‘really damaging’ to his education.
UCU quote tweeted the clip, and wrote: ‘Staff don’t want to strike, but they are sick and tired of falling pay, insecure contracts and attacks on pensions – in a sector worth tens of billions. Instead of criticising the workers whose labour you rely on, fight in their corner.’
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