The Friday email: 9 January 2026

New Deal for FE: three days of strike action

As determined by the elected representatives on UCU's further education committee (FEC), there will be three days of strike action next week (Wednesday 14, Thursday 15 and Friday 16 January 2026) at England FE colleges that are in dispute on pay and conditions.

Click here for a list of the 25 colleges (corresponding to 37 UCU branches) that will be on strike.

In addition, over 20 FE colleges have already settled their disputes after winning pay awards and will not need to participate in further action. You can click here to find out more about UCU's New Deal for FE campaign.

Disputes at universities across the UK

Southampton Solent University: Solent UCU members voted to strike after management forced hundreds of staff out of their preferred pension scheme and onto new contracts, while threatening to sack those who refused to be moved. An overwhelming 93% of staff who voted backed strike action on a turnout of 72%.

University of Essex: Essex UCU members are balloting for strike action over plans to close the Southend campus and axe 400 jobs (200 academic jobs and 200 professional services). The ballot will close on Monday 19 January. The university wrote to all 2,974 members of staff, just as they were breaking up for the Christmas holidays, to tell them they were at risk of redundancy.

Northumbria University: Northumbria UCU are balloting for strike action in their fight against plans to pressure them to leave the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS). The ballot will close on 23 January. It comes after UCU members overwhelmingly passed a motion of no confidence in the vice-chancellor and university executive team.

University of Leicester: Leicester UCU members have already taken five weeks of action will be taking a further three days on 22, 23 and 26 January. They will also be re-balloting shortly. Management's aim is to close or merge several subjects including Modern Languages; Film Studies; Chemistry; and Geography, Geology and Environment; and significantly restructure and downgrade professional services staff that will, if the current plans go ahead, mean compulsory job losses. Further proposals are expected for Education, History, and Technical and Research support services, with further job losses anticipated. In a recent vote, 96% of staff and students expressed no confidence in the vice-chancellor. Donations to the Leicester UCU strike fund can be made via here.

Universities in Scotland: strike ballots over job losses and compulsory redundancies opened this week at Aberdeen, Heriot-Watt, Stirling and Strathclyde universities. Meanwhile, UCU members at University of Edinburgh have made significant progress in their dispute with the employer over job cuts, and University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) UCU have been able to resolve their dispute over compulsory redundancies. 

Durham University: Durham UCU is moving towards a strike ballot after senior management refused to engage constructively with the union over untenable workloads and worsening job insecurity. The strike ballot is due to open on 15 January and run until 6 February.

University of Sheffield International College (USIC): USIC members voted overwhelmingly, shortly before Christmas, for strike action in a dispute over pay and conditions. On a turnout of 61%, 90% of those that took part voted for strike action, with 100% backing action short of a strike (ASOS). USIC is owned and operated by Study Group but is closely connected to the University of Sheffield.

UCU elections 2026 and hustings

Nominations for UCU officer and national executive committee (NEC) positions, and the North West further education casual vacancy were closed. A full list of candidates can be found on the UCU election webpage. Postal ballots for all contested elections are expected to open on Friday 30 January 2026 and close on Monday 2 March 2026.

Candidates for the positions of UCU vice-president (further education) and by-election vice-president (higher education) will take part in an online hustings on Thursday 12 February, 16:30-18:00. Click here to register for the hustings. Members can also submit questions to the candidates via this separate form.

FE pay gap raised with the Prime Minister

At a session of the Parliamentary Liaison Committee in December, Helen Hayes MP, chair of the Education Select Committee, raised the issue of the pay gap between FE and schoolteachers, as well as VAT on FE colleges, with the Prime Minister. This followed UCU general secretary Jo Grady giving evidence to the Education Committee Inquiry into FE and Skills in 2025. Keir Starmer said he will 'have a look at it and talk to the Treasury about it' and said that he is 'very keen to do what we can to further further education'.

You can also click here for a members' briefing in relation to FE VAT issues, with information on up-to-date research and campaigning. Finally, you can see UCU's response to the consultation 'FE teacher initial training and development' conducted by the Department for 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.

UCU Cradle to Grave conference

The annual 'From Cradle to Grave' conference, which will take place on Saturday 21 March, brings together UCU members, academics, practitioners, sector representatives and politicians to discuss the major issues facing post-16 education. The theme of this year's conference is 'Fighting for an education for all' and will include plenary sessions on the implications of the post-16 education and skills white paper and on defending academic freedom and professional autonomy, as well as breakout sessions on artificial intelligence, green skills and international solidarity.

The conference will run as a hybrid event, with options to attend in person in Manchester or online via Zoom. We expect spaces to attend in-person to fill up quickly so register as soon as possible to secure your place. The deadline to register is Friday 6 March; the conference is free to attend. We appreciate rail costs can be expensive, and therefore for those traveling outside Manchester with tickets costing over £20 we can reimburse 25% of your ticket, up to a maximum of £50.

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.

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.

TUC Year of Climate Action and UCU workshops

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) voted to back a Year of Climate Action, beginning in autumn 2025. As part of this, UCU is delivering two online workshops, bringing together members across education unions to exchange knowledge on sustainability and how workers can, through their roles and trade unions, advocate and organise for the integration of sustainability into all learning. You can register for the following:

• Embedding climate education in the curriculum: Wednesday 4 February, 15:30-17:00
• Decolonising and decarbonising education: Wednesday 4 March, 15:30-17:00

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.

Sudan Solidarity Conference

This hybrid conference, which will take place on Saturday 17 January, brings together activists, trade unionists, academics, community organisers, and members of the Sudanese diaspora to build concrete international solidarity with those resisting war, genocide, and dictatorship. Speakers include UCU president Maria Chondrogianni. Click here for more information.

Palestinian universities under attack

On 6 January, Israeli military forces invaded Birzeit University, attacking students with live ammunition. UCU has written to the Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper urging the British government to take immediate action. The Friends of Palestinian Universities (FPU) have provided a tool for writing to your MP and urge the UK government to take action to defend education in Palestine.

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.