The Friday email: 5 December 2025

We are the University HE ballot closes

In UK higher education, UCU conducted an industrial action ballot involving 137 universities/higher education institutions (corresponding to 145 UCU branches), as determined by the elected representatives on UCU's higher education committee (HEC).

On Tuesday 2 December, we were notified by Civica Election Services of the results. Unfortunately the turnout fell short of the legally required threshold to take action. Please click here for the full update from general secretary Jo Grady.

New Deal for FE ballot results and January 2026 action

The New Deal for FE industrial action ballot closed on Monday 17 November. The elected representatives on UCU's further education committee (FEC) met on Friday 21 November and determined that there would be three days of strike action on Wednesday 14, Thursday 15 and Friday 16 January 2026 at 31 FE colleges. You can read more about FEC's decisions here.

In addition, 19 FE colleges have already settled their disputes after winning pay awards--the latest being Runshaw College in Leyland--and so will not need to participate in further action.

Meanwhile, Capital City College in London have called for two additional strike days set for Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 December.

Stop the Cuts! Disputes at UK universities

University of Derby: Derby UCU members, featured in the above photo, have taken 3 days of strike action on 2-4 December in their fight against compulsory redundancies and course closures.

Northumbria University: Northumbria UCU will be balloting for strike action in their fight against plans to pressure them to leave the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS). The ballot will open on 15 December. It comes after UCU members overwhelmingly passed a motion of no confidence in the university executive team, including the vice-chancellor, in a packed branch meeting last month.

University of Essex: UCU has condemned plans by University of Essex to axe 400 jobs and close its Southend campus. In an email sent to staff, the vice-chancellor, confirmed plans to cut 200 academic posts during this academic year and 200 professional services roles across this academic year and next.

Imperial College London: Imperial staff have been on strike in a fight for a fair pay award. Click here for the full story.

University of Winchester: Winchester UCU has launched a consultative ballot over management's proposals to establish a subsidiary company through which it will employ all new academic and professional staff. New staff face being employed on a worsened remuneration package, without access to TPS and placed into an inferior defined contribution (DC) pension scheme.

Coventry University: Coventry UCU launched a vote of no confidence in the vice-chancellor John Latham due to his mishandling of university finances, resulting in vast cuts and redundancies and an almost weekly transfer of staff to newly created subsidiary companies so the university can slash terms and conditions in a desperate bid to save cash. Please sign and share the petition as widely as possible.

Southampton Solent University: Solent UCU has been balloting 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.

Cardiff University: Cardiff UCU is also balloting over management's plans that put well over a thousand employees at risk of redundancy. Cardiff UCU said: 'Together with the 1,800 academic staff who were put at risk of redundancy in January 2025, Cardiff has now put at least 41% of their overall staff at risk of losing their current jobs in a single year'.

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

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.

New Ofsted framework

Has your institution been inspected under the new Ofsted inspection framework or taken part in any of the Ofsted pilots or test visits? If so, we would value your feedback to support our conversations with the government and Ofsted. Key questions include: What was different? Was it more collaborative? What were the workload and wellbeing implications? What are your reflections on the report card? Please contact the UCU policy team to share your feedback or organise a confidential conversation.

Vacancies on UCU's Climate and ecological emergency committee

Following the closure of nominations, there are six vacancies available on UCU's Climate  and ecological emergency committee. We are particularly seeking FE representation on the committee. If you are interested in putting yourself forward, please email Sue Bajwa to request a co-option form. Completed forms must be returned by Wednesday 10 December at 17:00. Please also provide a short statement (200 words maximum).

Nominees must be in good membership standing and be in qualifying employment, or have been in qualifying employment within the preceding six months. An exception may apply where a pattern of casualised work in the post-16 education sector can be evidenced within the preceding twenty-four months. Please attach proof of qualifying employment when returning your completed form.

UCU equality research conference

UCU's equality research conference will take place on Friday 15 May 2026 with an in-person and hybrid delivery. The conference is now open for papers; papers can be sent using this link. Deadline is Monday 2 February 2026. Registration for the conference will open by mid-March.

Holocaust Memorial Day 2026 webinar

The Holocaust Memorial Day 2026 webinar will take place on Tuesday 27 January 2026, 13:00-14:00 on Zoom. The speaker will be Professor Eve Rosenhaft from University of Liverpool.

The webinar examines the genocide of Europe's Roma under the Nazis and their collaborators. Between the mid-1930s and 1945, Romani people faced internment, forced labour, sterilisation, deportation and mass murder, rooted in long-standing antigypsyism and institutional racism. Despite survivor efforts to challenge denial, this history remains less researched and recognised than the Shoah. The talk explores what is known, the gaps that remain, and the lessons for today. Please click here to register.

Together Alliance

Together is an alliance of over fifty campaigns, organisations and civil society groups alongside thousands of people, united against the division of the far right. UCU is supporting this campaign. Join us in London on Saturday 28 March 2026 to bring a message of hope over fear.

Stop the Rosebank Oil Field

The UK government is considering approval for Rosebank, the largest undeveloped oil field in the UK. If approved, it would produce more carbon dioxide than the world's 28 poorest countries combined, undermine the Paris Agreement, and line the pockets of companies linked to human rights abuses--while doing little for energy security.

Trade unions are calling for a rapid, just transition to renewable energy, with secure jobs for UK workers. UCU members can add their support to the open letter urging the government to stop Rosebank.