Lancaster UCU yet to meet to decide on ‘next steps’ regarding UCU strike

Lancaster UCU is yet to confirm whether it will be participating in UCU strike action, set to take place this academic year.

This follows a UCU announcement that following two “historic national ballots”, UCU staff will once again be given the opportunity to strike.

The ballots were held over pay and working conditions and cuts to pensions, with eight out of 10 voters in favour of the strike action. The UCU said that the overwhelming majority shows the “anger felt by university staff.”

This gives the opportunity to strike to over 70,000 lecturers 150 universities.

This year’s strike action aims to achieve a meaningful pay rise during the cost-of-living crisis, in contrast to the three per cent rise many staff were offered. The UCU also hopes to regain the 35 per cent cut made to pensions.

The union claims that given the £41.1billion income made by the university sector last year, “it can more than afford to meet staff demands.”

When contacted for comment on whether they will be joining the strikes this year, Lancaster UCU said: “All we can say is that the democratic organs of decision making of our union still have to meet to decide on next steps. We’ll post announcements as soon as we get the info.”

On 3rd November, the UCU higher education committee will meet to “decide the next steps” that will be taken “to pressure employers to begin meaningful negotiations.”

Lancaster University UCU has previously participated in three rounds of strike action during the academic year 2021/22.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: ‘Today history has been made by our members in universities, who in huge numbers have delivered an unprecedented mandate for strike action. The vice chancellors who run universities have repeatedly and in a coordinated fashion come after our members.”

She states that it is now “150 bosses against 70,000 university workers”, and that they are “ready and willing to bring the entire sector to a standstill” provided that serious negotiations are not implemented soon.

After highlighting the crucial work of university staff and that they will no longer accept “falling pay, insecure employment and attacks on pensions.”

Jo concluded: “They know their power and are ready to take back what is theirs from a sector raking in tens of billions of pounds.”

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