UCU sets out plans for strike action over pensions

UCU members of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) pension scheme at 67 universities were balloted for strike action and action short of a strike. Taken overall, two-thirds (64.55%) of UCU members who voted, voted for strike action and over four-fifths (82.19%) voted for action short of a strike.
 
Members at institutions that voted for action will be asked to strike against the detrimental proposals from university employers to reduce pension benefits and increase costs even though USS is in robust health. More information on the dispute can be found at: USS changes - key questions
 
The union said that strike action remained a last resort and called on the employers to join it for urgent talks through the conciliatory service ACAS. However, the union warned that if the dispute was not resolved then negotiators would recommend two weeks' rolling strike action from Monday 21 March, with each individual member taking two days' action.
 
If the talks fail, this means in effect that universities will be hit with up to two days' industrial action each. Exactly when the action will take place during the two week period will be determined by individual institutions' term dates. The union said it had to act quickly as the employers plan to bring in the changes to the pension scheme on Friday 1 April.   
 
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'Considering the limited timetable we had to ballot, this is a fantastic result and a clear mandate for action should the employers push ahead with their plans to impose the damaging changes to the pension scheme.
 
'Strike action is always a last resort and we want to avoid any disruption to our universities which is why we have engaged in talks today. I will go to every length possible to resolve this dispute and hope the employers will agree to go the extra mile too. However, UCU members have made it quite clear today that if a settlement is not possible, they are prepared to strike to defend their pensions.'

Notes

• Turnout in the ballot for industrial action over pensions was 36.32%
• Only institutions where members voted in favour of strike action will be called on to take action - a full list is at the end of the notes
• The union also balloted its members in higher education for strike action and action short of a strike on the issue of pay and job security. Over half (52.62%) of members who voted, voted for strike action and three-quarters (73.53%) voted for action short of a strike
• The turnout in that ballot was 34%
• The union's higher education officers will meet on Thursday 10 March to discuss the next steps for the pay and job security ballot
• The 63 institutions that voted in favour of strike action on the issue of pensions are:
   
  The University of Aberdeen
  Aberystwyth University
  University of Bangor
  University of Bath
  Queen's University of Belfast
  University of London, Birkbeck College
  The University of Birmingham
  University of Bradford
  University of Bristol
  Brunel University
  University of Cambridge
  Cardiff University
  City University
  Courtauld Institute of Art
  Cranfield University
  The University of Dundee
  Durham University
  University of East Anglia
  University of Edinburgh
  University of Essex
  University of Exeter
  The University of Glasgow
  University of London, Goldsmiths
  Heriot-Watt University
  The University of Hull
  Imperial College London
  University of London, Institute of Education
  The University of Kent
  King's College London
  University of Wales Lampeter
  University of Lancaster
  The University of Leeds
  University of Leicester
  University of Liverpool
  London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
  London School of Economics
  Loughborough University
  LSTM
  The University of Manchester
  Newcastle University
  The University of Nottingham
  Open University
  University of Oxford
  University of London, Queen Mary
  University of Reading
  University of London, Royal Holloway
  The University of Salford
  University of London, School of Pharmacy
  University of London, Senate House
  The University of Sheffield
  University of London, SOAS
  University of Southampton
  University of St Andrews
  The University of Stirling
  University of Strathclyde
  University of Surrey
  University of Sussex
  Swansea University
  University of Ulster
  University College London
  University of Warwick
  University of York