The Friday email: 15 July 2022

University strike ballot a step closer as vice chancellors refuse to improve pay offer 

UCU has today confirmed that it will move ahead with a ballot for industrial action at UK universities after vice chancellors again failed to make an improved offer on pay.

The joint higher education trade unions (UCU, GMB, EIS, Unite and Unison) met with employer representatives Universities and Colleges Employers' Association (UCEA) on Thursday 14 July and were told that despite the impact of the cost of living crisis on staff, there would be no increase to the employers' 3% pay offer for the 2022-23 pay round.

The formal dispute process has now concluded and UCU will now continue its preparations for an industrial action ballot which if successful would see every university in the UK hit by strike action in the autumn.  

Fighting university redundancies and defending members

UCU is determined to resist the current wave of job cuts and attacks on working conditions taking place in higher education and these campaigns are asking for your support:

• Royal College of Art UCU are campaigning against redundancies and you can sign a petition here
• Queen Mary University of London management continue to persecute our members for taking part in lawful industrial action with the latest vindictive threat to close the university's Film Studies programme. Please sign the open letter here
• De Montfort University have announced that 58 members of staff face the prospect of compulsory redundancy. For the latest developments, you can read De Montfort UCU's bulletin here and sign this petition
• follow University of Roehampton UCU's Twitter account and check how you can help their fight against redundancies
• an industrial action ballot opened at Falmouth University on Monday 11 July and will run until Friday 19 August. The ballot aims to stop management creating a two-tier workforce using a wholly owned subsidiary company, with worse terms and conditions. Send messages of support to the branch via Twitter @UCUFalmouth
• sign this open letter calling for Goldsmiths management to reinstate Des Freedman and Gholam Khiabany.

Wins in further and higher education sectors

Earlier this week UCU reached a pay agreement for 2022-23 with Waltham Forest College in North East London, which will see an average pay award of 6.1% for all staff and the extension of the lecturer pay scale by two spinal points. UCU members at Capital City College Group (CCCG) have also won a significant pay rise, for 2022-23, of 9% for those earning under £30k, and 6% for those earning between £30k and £45k. Congratulations to local officers and members at these branches. These agreements provide an important benchmark for pay negotiations at other colleges in England and show what can be achieved when we are united and determined. 

Intense negotiations at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) have led to an uplift of 8% in London Weighting rates, increasing the full-time annual rates from £3,616.50 to £3,905.82 (grades 6 and above) and from £3,875 to £4,185 (grades 3 to 5). In addition there will be a one-off non consolidated payment of £1,000 per staff. SOAS UCU members voted overwhelmingly to accept the deal, and thanks must go to the negotiators for their hard work over the past months. 

You can read a full round up of local UCU campaigns here.

Respect FE: industrial action ballot closed

The Respect FE industrial action ballot closed today (Friday 15 July). If you are at one of the further education colleges being balloted for strike action, we hope to be able to announce the results early next week.

Strike action announced at colleges across North West England

Four colleges across the North West England will be hit with more strike action later this year unless employers agree to raise staff pay. Staff at Burnley College, The Manchester College, City of Liverpool College, and Oldham College will walk out for two days during college induction weeks on Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 September. 

Developments at South Thames Colleges Group and West Thames College

There is overwhelming support for strike action over a local 2022/23 pay, contact hours and annual leave claim at South Thames Colleges Group. In a consultative ballot that comfortably beat the 50% threshold, 84.5% of members voted to reject the employer's offer of a 1% pay rise, with no reduction in contact hours or increase in annual leave, and said they would vote for strike action.

Similarly, at West Thames College there is overwhelming support for strike action over a local 2021/22 and 2022/23 pay claim. In a consultative ballot that easily beat the 50% threshold, 97% of members voted to support the UCU claim for a significant pay rise for 2021/22 and for an 8% pay rise for 2022/23 and said they would vote for strike action. Both branches are now urgently seeking further talks with management before the start of the new academic year.

Joint union protocol on the management of Long Covid

UCU, alongside all other education unions, endorse this joint union protocol for the management of Long Covid. We encourage UCU members and reps to read the joint unions' statement about this protocol here. UCU branches can use the protocol as a basis for negotiations to ensure a fair and supportive approach to the management of Long Covid across workplaces. 

Menopause is a workplace and trade union issue

Menopause is a workplace and trade union issue. UCU has produced a model policy which sets out the guidelines for negotiating the right support for employees. 

Cradle to Grave conference, 10 September: register now

Registration is open for UCU's Cradle to Grave conference to be held on Saturday 10 September. Our keynote speaker is John McDonnell MP and there will be a panel discussion on visions for post-pandemic education as well as workshops on access to learning, organising at work, prison education, and protecting the arts and humanities.

UCU response to National Audit Office report on workforce skills

UCU responded to a report from the National Audit Office, which highlights huge drops in adult participation in government funded education. Please click here for a statement from UCU general secretary Jo Grady.

Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival 2022, 15-17 July

UCU will be taking part in the annual trade union organised festival celebrating our movement, our history and remembering the six farm labourers arrested in 1834 for organising a union. Please join us for music, politics, and fun in the beautiful village of Tolpuddle in Dorset.

Please update your contact details

Please take a moment to check your contact and employment details on MyUCU. This will be crucial for all of our campaigns in the coming weeks and months.