The Friday email: 12 December 2025

New Deal for FE: action in January 2026

The elected representatives on UCU's further education committee (FEC) determined that there would be three days of strike action on Wednesday 14, Thursday 15 and Friday 16 January 2026 at 30 FE colleges. You can read more about FEC's decisions here.

In addition, 20 FE colleges have already settled their disputes after winning pay awards--the latest being Lakes College West Cumbria--and so will not need to participate in further action.

Meanwhile, Capital City College in London have been on strike on Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 December.

Stop the cuts: disputes at universities across the UK

University of Aberdeen: Aberdeen UCU members are concerned with the university's 'Adapting for Continuing Success' programme and the institution's ongoing financial challenges. Despite calls from UCU, the employer has not ruled out compulsory redundancies.

Heriot-Watt University: following a portfolio review focused on cutting courses and programmes, Heriot-Watt staff have now been informed by their employer that it will move forward with a 'right-sizing' exercise. Heriot-Watt UCU has declared a dispute after compulsory redundancies were not taken off the table.

University of Stirling: after an unexpected round of voluntary severance during the summer, the university declared the need to make further savings. UCU has been demanding clarity on the justification and amount of potential savings--instead, the university has refused to rule out compulsory redundancies.

University of Strathclyde: Strathclyde UCU has entered into a trade dispute after the employer announced its intention to make up a £35m shortfall over the next two years and refused to rule out compulsory redundancies. The Principal has since confirmed this will involve the cutting of 76 FTE jobs.

Northumbria University: Northumbria UCU is 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 vice-chancellor and university executive team.

University of Essex: Essex UCU is balloting for strike action over plans to axe 400 jobs and close its Southend campus. In an email sent to staff, Essex's vice-chancellor confirmed plans to cut 200 academic posts during this academic year and 200 professional services roles across this academic year and next.

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 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'.

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 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 victory for prison educators' pensions, plan to rebuild branches, and questions asked in Parliament

UCU has won a major victory for prison education members in protecting their teachers' pensions when transferring from the public sector (Novus and Milton Keynes College) to a private provider, PeoplePlus. This followed over two years of campaigning including political lobbying, writing to MPs and links with the TUC and TPS board.

On Friday 5 December UCU members met to discuss the impact of the new Prison Education Service (PES) contract--this included redundancies and restructures. The focus was on rebuilding our branches.

UCU continues to work with other justice unions in JUPA and JUPG. Questions have been asked in Parliament about prison education cuts. Please see UCU's end of year report on prison education.

Post-16 White Paper on Education and Skills

UCU has published a new briefing for members on the Post-16 White Paper on Education and Skills. The briefing highlights the key recommendations in the White Paper and UCU's response.

Youth and community education pay increase

Please click here for details of the pay increase for staff working in Youth and Community (the main negotiating body with the national local government employers). The headlines of the pay uplift are as follows:

• an increase of 3.2% on all spinal column points on the Youth and Community Support Worker Range and the Professional Range from 1 September 2025;
• an increase of 3.2% on the London Area Allowances and Sleeping-In-Duty Allowance from 1 September 2025.

Please note that this pay award should be backdated to 1 September 2025.

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.

Northern Ireland TPS webinar

In this webinar, experts from the government-backed MoneyHelper service, in collaboration with Teachers' Pay and Pensions Team, will provide information on the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) in Northern Ireland.

The webinar will take place on Thursday 29 January 2026 (16:00-17:00), and you can register by clicking this link. A recording of the session should also become available on the Department of Education website.

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.

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.

UCU Cradle to Grave conference

UCU's annual 'Cradle to Grave' education policy conference is a highlight of the calendar. The next conference will take place on Saturday 21 March 2026 at a central Manchester venue, with the option to participate online, so please save the date. Further details including how to register will be circulated in January.

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.

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.

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.

Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year

This is the last Friday email of 2025 and we will return in early January. We wish all UCU members a restful winter break.