New ucuRISING strike date announced

Hi everyone

We said a short while ago that we would be entering into intensive negotiations with Acas and our employers  in a bid to resolve the disputes.  You'll also be aware that we took a pause industrial action in those disputes to create best possible environment for those talks to take place in.

I'm pleased to say - that whilst Acas talks take place on a confidential basis, I can say that we are making progress across a range of subjects at Acas and will bring your more information on that as those talks come to a natural conclusion

What you also saw last week was that the employer chose to put out their pay offer and make it clear that it is final and that universities can implement the initial element of that pay offer. We need to be absolutely crystal clear, this is not a pay offer that has been agreed with us as a union, or any of the other unions involved in the negotiations.

But we aren't gonna be phased wither. That is why in addition to the industrial action that you already have called on March 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, the Higher Education Committee have decided to call industrial action on March 15

The reasons we've added this additional date is to focus the employers mind as talks come to a conclusion this week and especially early next week. They need to have on them the maximum amount of pressure. We believe adding this additional day, which replaces one of the five that was moved aside for the pause is the right balance. We are coming out of this period now where we have put pressure on the employer, we have reduced the cost and financial impact on you of strike action, and we have made progress in several key areas on non-pay, and obviously you are aware of the massive progress we have made on pensions. What we now need to do is force the employer to sign off these commitments at Acas, continue to go further than they have gone before, to recognise the depth of feeling that is out there on pay, and improve their pay offer.

So we are going to bring you loads of updates. We are 2 weeks now from that first day of strike action on March 15, you're gonna have loads of updates from me. The crucial thing now though is that you get the word out about the action, but more crucial than that is that you vote yes in the reballot. Because the big thing we have here as a lever is our strike action, but also the potential for us to deliver 6 months worth of action across every university in the UK. So get the vote out everyone.