The Friday email: 21 November 2025

IMPORTANT: We are the University HE industrial action ballot is closing soon

In UK higher education, UCU is conducting an industrial action ballot involving 137 universities/higher education institutions (corresponding to 145 UCU branches).

This HE ballot is conducted as a postal vote, as required by law. There is no online option to vote.

The HE ballot is closing on Friday 28 November.

Ballot eligible HE members should have received postal ballot packs at their preferred mailing address. The postal ballot pack looks like this (pink, with UCU and Civica Election Services branding). HE members must then return their vote by post to Civica Election Services using the pre-paid envelope, like these two UCU members are doing (with thanks to University of Glasgow UCU). 

If you still have your HE postal ballot in hand, please vote as soon as possible. Wednesday 26 November is the last 'safe' date to post the HE ballot.

If you have not received a HE postal ballot, you can request a replacement via this form--please note that this form is for HE only and will close on Sunday 23 November (23:59). You will need your unique UCU membership number which is .

If you have already voted, please click here to let UCU know; this will be an enormous help with UCU's 'get the vote out' activities.

New Deal for FE ballot results

The New Deal for FE industrial action ballot closed on Monday 17 November 2025. You can:

• click here to read the announcement from general secretary Jo Grady
• click here for a list of UCU branches that participated in the New Deal for FE ballot
• click here to view the reports from Civica Election Services to find out the Yes/No vote and the turnout for your college
• click here to read UCU's latest press release on the results
• click here to read coverage in FE News.

In summary:

• UCU members working for 32 employers have now gained a legal mandate for action
• UCU members at 17 FE colleges have already settled their disputes after winning pay awards so will not need to participate in further action
• At 21 colleges, UCU did not meet the anti-trade union ballot threshold, despite all delivering resounding YES votes for strike action.

The elected representatives on UCU's further education committee (FEC) are meeting on Friday 21 November and will decide on the next steps.

Please note that UCU members in Myerscough College in Lancashire have a different balloting timetable from other FE colleges; Myerscough's ballot will close on Tuesday 25 November. If you are a UCU member based at Myerscough, please vote as soon as possible.

Briony: a Bangor story

In this short film, Briony shares her story as a lecturer at Bangor University: the pressures, passion, and personal cost behind the job.

We shine a light on the reality of teaching in UK higher education, where staff are overworked, undervalued, and fighting for a fairer future.

As UCU members across UK universities cast their ballots, Briony's story is a reminder of why We are the University. Vote YES to protect jobs, workloads, and the quality of education itself.

Lancaster and Nottingham universities suspend action

Lancaster University: Industrial action at Lancaster has been suspended, after management agreed to halt all planned compulsory redundancies for academic staff until at least July 2026. Strikes scheduled for Thursday 27 and Friday 28 November along with ongoing action short of strike, have now been called off following management's U-turn. University management had planned to axe over 450 staff this academic year due to financial forecasts, but UCU said the employer was relying on overly pessimistic assumptions and seeking to save money by cutting jobs, rather than looking at other areas of expenditure, including unrestrained capital expenditure, overseas campus costs, and pursuit of surplus financial metrics. 

University of Nottingham: Nottingham UCU members have agreed to suspend action planned from 17 November following an offer that includes a commitment to no compulsory redundancies before October 2026. Action short of strike will continue until the mandate runs out at the end of the year. Talks are also to start immediately to reverse the decision to suspend 48 courses. Lopa Leach, Nottingham UCU branch president, said: 'Members accepted this offer, albeit with reluctance, given they have lost confidence in university leadership. They are willing to give space to discuss alternatives to course closures. UCU enters these talks in good faith but are in no doubt that if there is no sign of real engagement future action may well be on the cards'.

Stop the Cuts! Disputes at UK universities

University of Derby: Derby UCU members have voted for strike action over the threat of compulsory redundancies and course closures. In the ballot, 82% of those that took part voted for strike action, with 93% backing action short of a strike (ASOS), on a 66% turnout. Derby UCU members will take three days of strike action on Tuesday 2, Wednesday 3 and Thursday 4 December.

Southampton Solent University: Solent UCU has commenced a month-long ballot of its members, over plans to force all Solent staff out of TPS and LGPS pension schemes and onto an inferior local defined contribution (DC) pension scheme, by employing them via a sham subsidiary company. Staff who refuse the transfer will have their contracts terminated without notice or redundancy pay, mirroring the most egregious fire and rehire practices, such as those seen at P&O. If Solent management succeeds it will set a dangerous precedent, which could undermine standards across the entire HE sector.

Northumbria University: Northumbria management has told staff refusing to move to another pension scheme will have their pay frozen, effectively punishing employees who wish to remain in the Teachers' Pensions Scheme (TPS), and locking them into years of real-terms pay cuts. Northumbria UCU branch has declared a dispute and is considering industrial action. Members under threat are looking to you for support and would like you to sign and share the Megaphone petition launched with the help of the TUC.

University of Edinburgh: Edinburgh UCU members took three days of strike action this week in a dispute over £140m cuts and job losses, including the possible use of compulsory redundancies. Future action could also see a marking and assessment boycott which would see members refuse to take part in marking and assessment duties, including work such as exam invigilation and the processing of marks, and would be an escalation of this dispute.

University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University: a combined 28 days of strike action are hitting Sheffield in disputes over job cuts at Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam universities. Please click here to read the full story.

Cardiff University: UCU has strongly criticised Cardiff University for putting well over a thousand employees at risk of redundancy. Cardiff UCU is currently preparing for a ballot on taking industrial action to protect jobs and prevent overwork; Cardiff UCU said: 'Together with the 1,800 academic staff who were put at risk of redundancy in January 2025, Cardiff University has now put at least 41% of their overall staff at risk of losing their current jobs in a single year'.

University of Leicester: Leicester UCU members began two weeks of strikes from 10 November in their fight against redundancies. This follows three weeks of strikes that began in late September. Management have told staff in six areas (geography, geology and the environment; education; chemistry; modern languages; history; film studies) that their jobs are at risk as they seek to cut staffing budget by £11m. Hundreds of professional services staff have also been told they face a review that may lead to job losses.

UCU elections 2025-26

Nominations for officer and national executive committee (NEC) positions, and the North West further education casual vacancy have now closed. A full list of candidates can be found on the UCU election webpage.

Ballots for all contested elections are expected to open on Friday 30 January 2026 and close on Monday 2 March 2026.

UCU supports the campaign for VAT exemption in FE colleges

UCU were invited to the launch of a report, which makes the case for VAT exemption in FE colleges. VAT exemption for colleges would increase FE revenue, including for staff pay. The report was commissioned by the Large College Group, made up of seven colleges and college groups, from both the public and private sectors. You can click here to read the report, which was written by the London School of Economics. The report will be delivered to the Chancellor ahead of the Budget. For further information, contact Paul Bridge or Rhianwen Roberts.

COP30 and climate crisis

As world leaders meet in Brazil for COP30, UCU is reaffirming its commitment to climate justice and a sustainable future. The climate crisis is not just an environmental issue: it's a trade union issue. As campus heat stress and flooding create unsafe working conditions, while employers try to make staff pay the price of change through job insecurity and unpaid retraining, the effects of climate breakdown are already being felt across our sectors.

That is why UCU members are taking action. Through our campaigns, we are pushing universities, colleges, and workplaces to decarbonise, divest from fossil fuels, and embed sustainability in all aspects of learning and work.

Our CPD climate training, developed with SOS-UK, equips members to lead this change, empowering educators to bring climate literacy into the classroom and activism into the workplace.

As part of UCU's 2025-26 Year of Climate Action, we will be promoting resources, training, and local support for branches to strengthen climate organising. Together, we can make education a driving force for a just transition, one that protects people and the planet.

Here you can learn more about our plans, from five-minute actions on pensions to securing a Green New Deal in your workplace.

St Andrew's Day anti-racism and anti-fascism march and rally 2025

UCU is supporting the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) annual anti-racism and anti-fascism march in Glasgow, highlighting Scotland's long-standing commitment to inclusivity, solidarity with refugees, and the rejection of far-right ideologies. The march brings together trade unions, community groups, activists and individuals from across the country to stand united against racism, discrimination and xenophobia. Join us on Saturday 29 November. Gather at 10:30 at Barrowlands Park (G1 5BG) where the march will begin and proceed to Adelaide Place (209 Bath St, Glasgow G2 4HZ) for an indoor rally at 12 noon.

Week of action for Palestine

With the Israeli assault on Gaza ongoing, University and College Workers for Palestine have called a week of action for Palestine starting on Monday 24 November, to coincide with the 28 November general strike in Italy. On 26 November they are helping convene an international meeting with trade unionists from Italy and beyond; details are available here.