Image: Fiona McIntyre for Research Professional News
Delegates at the union's higher education sector conference send employers a message over industrial action
University and College Union representatives have backed a motion calling for almost three weeks of strikes in early 2020, although only the union’s higher education committee has the power to initiate such industrial action.
The motion, debated at the UCU’s higher education sector congress in Manchester on 6 December, called for 14 days of strikes from 20 February through to 13 March.
During a press briefing on 20 November, UCU general secretary Jo Grady said the union had a six-month mandate for strike action over pensions and pay at 60 universities, and that its Higher Education Committee will meet in the new year to discuss more strikes.
Staff took industrial action for eight days in November and December this year, and in the spring of 2018 UCU members walked out for 14 days in the dispute over the Universities Superannuation Scheme.
While the motion was passed by delegates, “conference was reminded that it does not have the power to call industrial action,” according to a note accompanying the recorded vote. “This power is delegated to [the higher education committee] under the rules of the union. HEC will therefore decide on the next phase of industrial action having very serious regard to the clear view of conference as expressed in the motion.”
The UCU higher education committee is due to meet on 28 January, the same day as ballots close at 12 universities, which are voting again on whether to join the industrial action. Once the results of those ballots are made public, the union must give at least two weeks’ notice to employers before any strike action can begin.
A further motion to renew the mandate for strike action in USS employer institutions was also accepted. Under this plan, USS universities would be “re-balloted for summer term action from mid-February to mid-late April, creating a strike mandate as far as late October”.
The aim of such a motion is to disrupt examinations, marking and exam boards. A simultaneously renewed mandate for action short of a strike would target staff duties related to the Research Excellence Framework, the Knowledge Exchange Framework, and the Teaching Excellence Framework.
The congress also approved a motion calling for an international boycott of universities where employers make “disproportionate deductions” for action short of a strike.
A spokesperson for the University and College Union said: “Members made it quite clear on Friday how angry they are at the employers’ intransigence on pensions. They have made it absolutely clear that they are prepared to take sustained action in the new year if that is necessary… The best thing the employers can do between then and now is meet with us and discuss seriously how we can resolve the dispute and avoid the need for any further disruption.”
A spokesman for Universities UK said: “We are aware of the motions passed at UCU’s higher education sector conference, and will await further information on how they will be taken forward. We will continue to seek a fair and reasonable resolution to the dispute that avoids further industrial action.”