FAQ on Unite dispute, September 2025

Unite was previously in dispute during 2024-2025, what has happened to the issues under dispute? 

Previously Unite declared a dispute about the following:

• Unite called for a review into UCU's organisational culture. This was agreed to in June 2024. This review is underway and is due to conclude shortly.
• Unite called for a negotiated Gender Identity Policy. This has been extensively negotiated and consulted on, and is scheduled for implementation in October 2025.
• Unite called for an external and independent review of experiences of racism in UCU. We agreed to this review in March 2024. Both UCU and Unite agreed panellists to conduct this review and terms of reference. The review has not yet begun as the panellists have indicated they do not wish to commence it while a dispute is still ongoing in UCU.
• Unite opposed the recognition of a second staff union in UCU. We are ready to continue discussions over recognition, which Unite have acknowledged first requires discussion between Unite and GMB, which is yet to happen.
• Unite called for a hybrid working policy. Hybrid working proposals have been shared with Unite but we never received a meaningful response from Unite.
• Unite alleged issues concerning UCU's organisational change procedures. It was agreed at Acas to jointly review the procedure. Our procedure has been shared with Unite but we did not receive a meaningful response. 

We consider all aspects of the previously declared dispute settled (and agreed action in relation to each is either ongoing or completed) and, while Unite have not publicly stated this, we assume they are substantially of the same view. Their most recent correspondence to us stating what their new dispute issues are contains only the recognition of a second staff union and the negotiation of a hybrid working policy as common issues from the declared dispute.

What has UCU done to address the reason Unite is currently in dispute? 

For several years now UCU management has tried to negotiate a hybrid working agreement with Unite. This includes a notional agreement that staff will either be in the office, or on site (depending on what their role involves) for 60% of the time. The remaining 40% of the time can be spent working from home. This balances the needs of the organisation, with the desire for some staff to work from home. The 60:40 split might be over a week, a fortnight, or monthly basis as best determined by the individual and their line manager. While we think there are benefits to working from home, we believe this is best balanced by time when we are either in the workplace together, or in the workplaces of our members.

We know that, for some staff, personal circumstances mean that the 60:40 arrangement is not possible; for those staff we have asked that they submit a flexible working request. This request can involve proposing a different split to 60:40, or it can involve the request to work totally from home. To date, every flexible working request that UCU has processed has been approved. Engagement with the process has been positive, and 70% of staff have either confirmed working arrangements under the new arrangement, or have submitted a flexible working request.

Unite have repeatedly instructed their members to not engage with our attempts to resume office working. This has meant that for the past years, our attempts to agree a hybrid arrangement have been completely frustrated by Unite. This has impacted the ability of UCU to perform some of its basic functions. It has also loaded an unfair burden to those who do attend the workplace. The result has been the necessity for UCU to implement a hybrid arrangement from 1 September 2025.

Unite oppose this new arrangement and have called for a 'no detriment' hybrid working agreement, demanding London-based UCU staff keep their London weighting (£5,808), even if under the new hybrid arrangement staff request to become 100% home-workers. This is an unreasonable demand, unfair on colleagues who do attend their workplace and a proposed misuse of UCU member subscriptions. 

UCU employs 120 London-based staff. To finance Unite's proposal would potentially cost UCU an estimated £697,000. This is not a tenable demand from Unite, and we will not see UCU members' money misused in this way. We are happy to consider and negotiate flexible and home-working arrangements, but we cannot do so on the basis that current office-based London weighting payments remain in place for staff who never intend to come into the London office.

What action is Unite taking?

Unite has called action short of a strike (ASOS) intended to undermine the hybrid working arrangement we have put in place, and the work that we do as a union. They have specifically called ASOS that instructs their members to work from home, rather than come into work and join their colleagues.

The action Unite has called is not simply asking staff to work from home, it instructs staff to work in a manner which is in direct opposition to the plan that has been set out, communicated over several months, and intended to return the union to maximum effectiveness in support of our members. The Unite action is designed deliberately to severely undermine what we do as a union and how we do it. We are not asking UCU staff to do anything that Unite the Union has not asked its own staff to do. The 60:40 split we have adopted is exactly the same split which Unite the Union have for their own employees.

Unite has accused UCU of deducting 100% of wages for non-attendance at office, what is UCU deducting? 

For too long the actions of Unite have undermined our purpose as a union and undermined the working relationships between UCU colleagues. We cannot and will not allow the union to operate in this way. The senior managers of the union, with the support of regional officials and other managers, have made clear that UCU needs to see the hybrid working model in place as a matter of urgency. It is central to our work.

As it is a contractual requirement for almost all UCU staff to work at their designated office, a refusal to attend that office is a partial performance of the employment contract. Consequently, and in line with the above, we have written to Unite and confirmed that for each day staff choose not to engage in the 60% return to the office as a result of participation in the ASOS, they will face a proportionate deduction in pay for that period. To be clear, for full-time employees this means:

• if staff come into the office for 0 days a week, they will lose 60% of pay for that week
• if staff come into the office for 1 day a week, they will lose 40% of pay for that week
• if staff come into the office for 2 days a week, they will lose 20% of pay for that week.

Deductions will apply to part-time staff on a pro-rata basis.

We do not want to be in this position. Unite were given a grace period of two weeks to reconsider their ASOS before any deductions would be implemented. We want to see the hybrid working arrangement respected. We have been preparing staff to work under the hybrid model for months now, and have been very flexible and understanding with staff for whom this may be complex. Most other trade unions have been operating under a hybrid model for some time now. Ultimately, we want to focus on the business of supporting UCU members. The seriousness and magnitude of the decision to apply up to 60% deductions mirrors the seriousness and magnitude of what Unite have instructed their members to do.

Unite has accused UCU of victimising its reps, is this true? 

No, this is not true.  

Unite have publicly discussed the fact that a single Unite committee member has been asked to engage with the organisation's performance improvement process. Unite claim this is victimisation. This is not victimisation. Where required it is entirely appropriate for line managers to engage staff in setting goals and having conversations about their progress and performance. To do so is not victimisation and it is very misleading for Unite to present it as such.

Can UCU say more about the recognition of a second staff union in UCU?

Traditionally UCU had just one recognised staff union, although this was not always the case. More recently however, increasing numbers of UCU staff have left Unite. As an employer we are fully committed to all staff having representation through recognised staff union structures. A trade union could take no other position. This is why we have recognised GMB. Currently Unite represent approximately 65% of UCU staff, and GMB represent approximately 35% of staff. There has been discussion of this matter at Acas with Unite and GMB. We are ready to continue discussions over recognition, which Unite have acknowledged first requires discussion between Unite and GMB (which we understand is yet to happen).

Can you say more about the pay, terms and conditions of UCU?

Recent pay increases in UCU have been:

• 2021-2022: 3.3%
• 2022-2023: 7.8%, plus cash payments of £3,000 to £9,500 (for lowest paid)
• 2023-2024: 8.5%, plus cash payments of £0 to £3,600 (for lowest paid)
• 2024-2025: 3.6%, plus cash payments of 3.16% of salary.

In addition to salary, the following benefits are available to UCU staff:

• 51 days paid leave, comprising 35 days annual leave, 8 additional UCU days, and 8 bank holidays
• UCU childcare scheme, which includes UCU paying up to 50% of childcare costs for all staff
• USS pension scheme
• Interest free season ticket loans.

Further details can be found in this PDF.