Staff at 140 universities across the UK will strike for five days later this month in a long-running dispute over pay and working conditions.
At 136 of the 140 universities, UCU members will strike for five consecutive days from Monday 25 to Friday 29 September. Strikes will hit four Scottish universities on slightly different dates to coincide with local action by other unions.
The dispute centres on low pay and working conditions. Employer body, the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) has imposed a pay award for 23/24 worth just 5% for most UCU members, even though they overwhelmingly voted to reject it. UCU is also demanding action on gig-economy employment practices and high workloads.
UCU has now withdrawn its marking and assessment boycott. This has been ongoing since Thursday 20 April. It will also begin reballoting universities shortly. This will allow it to escalate the dispute by taking further action this year and into 2024. Staff are continuing other forms of industrial action, including working to rule, not undertaking any voluntary activities, and not rescheduling lectures or classes cancelled due to strike action.
