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Strike ballots to open at another 25 universities

18 December 2019

Even more universities could face disruption in the new year if disputes over pensions, and over pay and conditions are not resolved.

  • Reballots will open at a further 25 universities on Tuesday 7 January

  • Latest round of reballots mean strike polls will close at 37 universities on 28 January

  • UCU members at 60 UK universities walked out for eight strike days in November and December

UCU members at another 25 universities are going to be asked to back strike action in ballots that open on Tuesday 7 January. Reballots opened at 12 universities last month, so there will be strike ballots closing at 37 universities on 28 January.

UCU members at 60 universities walked out for eight days of strikes between Monday 25 November and Wednesday 4 December.

The union has warned that if the disputes cannot be resolved then more strikes are likely in 2020, with more members eligible to take part and more universities and students affected. The union's higher education committee is due to meet on Thursday 30 January to consider the latest round of results and further plans for industrial action.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'Following sustained strike action at 60 universities this term, ballots will close at another 37 institutions at the end of January.

'This is the time for employers to demonstrate they are serious about wanting to avoid further and even more widespread disruption at our universities.

'We have been clear from the outset that UCU members are prepared to take serious and sustained action to defend their pay and conditions, as well as their pensions.'

The universities where UCU members are being reballoted from 7 January are:
Bath Spa University
Birkbeck College
Canterbury Christ Church University
Cardiff Metropolitan University
University of Central Lancashire
Coventry University
De Montfort University
University of East London
University of Greenwich
University of Huddersfield
Keele University
King's College London
London School of Economics
London Metropolitan University
Manchester Metropolitan University
Newman University
Nottingham Trent University
University of Oxford
Oxford Brookes University
Royal College of Art
Royal Veterinary College
University of Salford
Senate House
Swansea University
University of Winchester

The 12 universities where reballots are already underway are:
Imperial College London
University of Kent
Leeds Beckett University
Leeds Trinity University
SOAS
University of Worcester
University of East Anglia
University of Arts London
University of the West of Scotland
Falmouth University
Northumbria University
University of Surrey

Last updated: 6 January 2020