No strikes in new year

By James Lewis, co Editor-in-Chief

Students at the University of Bristol and beyond can breathe a sigh of relief after the University and College’s Union (UCU) ‘We are the University’ campaign failed to achieve the necessary turnout for industrial action to go ahead. 

70 per cent of those who cast their ballot voted in favour of strike action in the new year. However, since only 39 per cent of the UCU's 65,000 members participated, the union announced on December 2 that it was unsuccessful. 

The Trade Union Act 2016 mandates that unions must have participation rates of at least half of their members for ballots to be legally binding. Without this, the union have had to back down. 

The campaign called for: 

• a pay uplift that is at least inflation + 3.5 per cent, or £2,500 (whichever is higher) 
• joint action to protect national agreements relating to terms and conditions of employment 
• a national agreement to avoid redundancies, course closures, and cuts to academic disciplines across the sector.

Members had six weeks to vote in the ballot, which ended November 28.

Bristol SU meets with MPs to voice tuition fee concerns in Parliament

The SU attended an All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for students event in Westminster on November 5, joining discussions on proposed tuition fee changes.

EpigramLenny Osler

These demands by the UCU were sparked by a new pay agreement with the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) - the representative for employers in the sector - which meant staff received a pay uplift of 1.4 per cent over summer.

The UCU called this pay uplift ‘derisory’ because it was ‘another real-terms pay cut’, coming in below inflation. 

Ballot opens for whether staff will strike or not

Staff will be balloted from today on whether industrial action will take place early next year.

EpigramJames Lewis

As the dust settles on this disappointing result for the UCU, questions have been raised internally over their effectiveness at mobilising its members. 

Jo Grady, the UCU’s General Secretary, said in a statement to members, that despite having ‘many conversations with members [who] demonstrated dedication to the union and building a better future[, there] was not agreement on how we should confront the important issues we face.’ 

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The SU’s full-time officers criticise the continuation of a ‘broken tuition fee model’ that has led to ‘crisis’ in higher education.

EpigramLenny Osler

‘It is clear the union needs a period of reflection to engage with [members] fully outside outside of the pressure of a ballot campaign, and to develop a supportive environment for these conversations,’ Ms Grady added. 

Featured image: UCU