Image: Simarchy [CC BY-ND 2.0], via Flickr
In full: All 140 institutions where staff will walk out in fresh wave of action
Researchers and other staff at 140 higher education institutions across the UK will walk out for five days this month after the University and College Union announced it is to escalate industrial action over the pay and conditions dispute.
In England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Scottish institutions, staff at participating universities will strike between 25 and 29 September. Some Scottish institutions will strike on different days because of local action by other unions (a full list of dates is published below).
‘No option but to strike’
Announcing the fresh strikes, UCU general secretary, Jo Grady, said: “We are left with no option but to strike during the start of term because our members refuse to stand by while pay is eroded and staff are shunted onto gig-economy contracts.”
The UCU has also confirmed it has now ended its marking and assessment boycott, which had caused widespread disruption to universities over the summer.
Raj Jethwa, chief executive of the Universities and Colleges Employers Association—which is representing employers in negotiations over pay and conditions—said he welcomed the end of the boycott, and urged UCU members with marking responsibilities to “prioritise marking for those remaining students who have still not received the necessary results to graduate in 2023-24”.
‘UCU attempting to inflict maximum damage’
But he lamented the latest round of strikes, saying it was “disappointing that, at the same time as ending the boycott, UCU is attempting to inflict maximum damage before its mandate expires, by calling strike action for late September…UCU is intentionally seeking to target the important welcome weeks which many institutions provide during this vital time for new students”.
In August, the UCU’s higher education committee confirmed that it had voted to take further strike action before the end of September if employers did not improve their national offer on pay and conditions. The union also said it would begin preparations for a fresh ballot to renew its mandate for action into the 2023-24 academic year.
Fresh university strike dates by institution
Universities taking strike action for five consecutive days from Monday 25 September to Friday 29 September:
University of Aberdeen
Abertay University
Aberystwyth University
Anglia Ruskin University
Aston University
Arts University Bournemouth
Bangor University
University of Bath
Bath Spa University
University of Bedfordshire
Birkbeck, University of London
University of Birmingham
Birmingham Newman University
Bishop Grosseteste University
Buckinghamshire New University
University of Bolton
Bournemouth University
University of Bradford,
University of Bristol
Brunel University
University of Cambridge
Canterbury Christ Church University
University of Cardiff
Cardiff Metropolitan University
University of Chester
University of Chichester
City, University of London
Courtauld Institute of Art
Coventry University
Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
University of Cumbria
University of Derby
De Montfort University
Durham University
University of East London
Edge Hill University
University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh Napier University
University of Essex
University of Exeter
Falmouth University
University of Gloucestershire
Wrexham Glyndwr University
Goldsmiths, University of London
University of Greenwich
Glasgow School of Art
Harper Adams University
Heriot-Watt University
University of Hertfordshire
University of Huddersfield
University of Hull
Kings College London
Keele University
University of Kent
Kingston University
University of Lancaster
University of Leeds
Leeds Beckett University
Leeds Trinity University
University of Leicester
University of Lincoln
Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts LIPA
Liverpool, University of
Liverpool Hope University
Liverpool John Moores University
London Metropolitan University City Campus
Loughborough University
London South Bank University Essex
London School of Economics
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
University of Manchester
Manchester Metropolitan University
Middlesex University
Newcastle University
University of Northampton
Northumbria University
University of Nottingham,
Norwich University of the Arts
Open University
University of Oxford
Oxford Brookes University
University of Plymouth
Plymouth Marjon University
University of Portsmouth
Queen Mary University of London
Queen Margaret University
Royal College of Art
Royal College of Music
Royal Holloway, University of London
Robert Gordon University
Roehampton University
Rose Bruford College
Royal Academy of Music
Royal Agricultural University
Royal Northern College of Music
Royal Veterinary College, University of London
University of Salford
Senate House University of London
University of Sheffield
Sheffield Hallam University
SOAS, University of London
Solent University
University of South Wales
University of Southampton
University of St Andrews
St Georges, University of London
St Mary’s University Twickenham
St Mary’s University College Belfast
University of Stirling
Stranmillis University College
University of Suffolk
University of Sunderland
University of Surrey
University of Sussex
Swansea University
University of Teesside
Trinity Laban
University of the Arts London
University College Birmingham
University for the Creative Arts
University College London
University of Central Lancashire
Ulster University
University of Wales Trinity Saint David
University of Warwick
University of West London
University of the West of England
University of the West of Scotland
University of Westminster
University of Winchester,
University of Wolverhampton
University of Worcester,
Writtle University College
University of York
York St John University
UCU members at the following universities are varying their five days of strike action to coordinate with other unions:
University of Dundee: 20-22 September and 25-26 September
Glasgow Caledonian University: 18-21 September and 25 September
University of Glasgow: 18-19 September and 26-28 September
University of Strathclyde: 18-19 September and 27-29 September