Industrial Action

Strike Action Dates

UCU strike dates: 25th - 29th September 2023

Unison strike dates: 21st, 22nd, 27th, 28th, 29th September 2023

On 24^th October 2022, the University and College Union (UCU) announced that staff at universities across the country, including at the University of Birmingham (the University), had voted for industrial action. This announcement comes from two aggregated ballots of 145 institutions on Pay and Conditions and 68 institutions on the USS Pensions Scheme. UCU Members were balloted on strike action as well as action short of a strike consisting of working strictly to contract and refusing additional duties. The University of Birmingham is included in all of these ballots.

It is the UCU’s stance that a resolution in these disputes will support higher quality education in the longer term for students. The University note that these disputes are based on national issues that cannot be resolved by the University alone. The University also maintain that any industrial action will have a disproportionate impact on students’ education in the short term.

We've put together the following information to help explain who UCU are, what is happening and how it might affect you.

Strike Action

Why have some staff voted to take strike action?

UCU recently balloted its members in its branches at higher education providers including at the University of Birmingham.

The ballot was on whether staff wished to take strike action and action short of strike in relation to two disputes:

Issue One: Pensions

UCU have a long running dispute with Universities UK over the future of their pension plan.

UCU have a long running disagreement with Universities UK (UUK – who represent Universities) and their pension provider, the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS). In 2020 UCU argued that the valuation of the pension scheme was based on an overly conservative assumption about future financial performance. In February 2022 USS significantly increased the contributions from both employees and employers while reducing the level of guaranteed retirement income provided to members. UCU produced a model of the impact of these cuts which suggest that cuts will have a significant impact on those at the start of their careers with staff under 40 losing around £100-200k in their retirement funds.

UUK said that the changes to the pension scheme were necessary to save the Defined Benefit part of the scheme and to ensure that employer contributions remain affordable. In March 2022 there was shown to be a significant improvement in the USS finances reducing the deficit within the scheme. UCU are calling for UUK to revoke the cuts and to work with USS to restore benefits to the 2022 levels. USS have said that they do not believe that there is enough evidence of the financial markets stabilising to consider changes to contribution or benefits until the next full valuation which is expected to take place in March 2023.

Issue Two: Pay and Conditions

UCU are concerned that the pay and working conditions of University staff has declined over recent years.

They call this dispute the “Four Fights.”

UCU cite the following concerns raised in the Higher Education Joint Unions’ Claims 2021/22.

Pay: UCU argue that pay has not kept pace with rises in inflation meaning that the wages of University staff have been subject to what they call “a real-terms cut”. They say the 3% pay rise on offer by employers is inadequate and falls short of increases in the cost of living. They seek a 12% pay uplift or an Retail Price Index (RPI) plus 2% on all pay points.
Casualisation: This is the term UCU use to describe the situation whereby staff are employed on contracts that are not permanent. This can take the form of fixed-term contracts or so-called zero-hour contracts. UCU argue that these forms of employment lead to job insecurity for staff. UCU seek a “framework to eliminate precarious employment practices and casualised contracts”
Equality: UCU highlight that across the Higher Education sector there is an ethnicity, gender and disability pay gap. UCU seek “meaningful, agreed action” to tackle these
Workload: UCU draw attention to increasing workloads among University staff. UCU seek a standard 35 hour per week full-time employment contract and “meaningful, agreed action to address excessive workloads and unpaid work”

Please find the response of the University and Colleges Employers Association to UCU's announcement of their industrial action ballot. They say that their pay offer of 9% for staff on the lowest pay points reflects their support for staff in difficult circumstances. They also argue that they have done their best to support jobs and staff against a backdrop of significant cost increases, with most UCU members experiencing falling income in real terms. They says that progress has been made locally on the issues of equality and have offered to establish working groups to work with UCU on workload management and pay gaps, but that a binding framework on contracts would be outside of their mandate.

The University note that they believe that staff deserve good pay and working conditions, and that UoB is an excellent place to work. They are concerned that this action will have a disproportionate impact on the education of Birmingham students, particularly as a number of the disputes outlined are national, rather than local, issues. UCU have been negotiating locally on workload but have not yet received the current workload models from the University.

News

Please check back later for more news.

Industrial Action FAQs

Take a look at some of our most Frequently Asked Questions about the strike:

Who Are UCU?

The University and College Union (UCU), are a trade union who represent over 130,000 academics, lecturers, trainers, instructors, researchers, managers, administrators, computer staff, librarians and postgraduates in universities, colleges, prisons, adult education and training organisations across the UK.

What is the Strike?

Members of the UCU across the UK, including at Birmingham, have voted to take industrial action over pension cuts, pay and working conditions.

UCU is asking for pension cuts to be revoked, as well as for universities to improve pay and commit to action on casualisation, workload and equality pay gaps – what UCU calls its ‘four fights’. To achieve this, the industrial action will include a three day walkout (strike) this Semester, as well as ‘action short of strike’ from the 23rd November where staff will work strictly to their contract and not take on additional duties.

How Will The Strike Action Affect me?

The University will experience 3 days of strike action:

• 24, 25 – 30 November 2022

This means that members of academic and professional staff who are members of UCU and choose to strike will not work on these days, and that there may be picket lines on campus. Your School will be best placed to let you know how the strikes will affect your timetable – not all staff are members of UCU or will choose to strike.

UCU has been undertaking action short of strike (ASOS) from Wednesday 1 December, which will continue until May 2022. During ASOS striking staff will be working to their contracted hours only, which means they will not work outside of these hours or cover additional duties, such as for other staff who are on annual leave or off sick. The University’s priority during this time will be minimising disruption to students.

What happens on a strike day?

On a strike day, some members of UCU will not work and there may be picket lines on campus. This is where staff gather at the entrance to campus as a protest. This means that some classes will not take place, if they are led by striking staff. Not every School or course will be affected in the same ways.

No-one will know in advance which Schools will be most affected, because staff striking don’t have to let their Schools or Departments know in advance of them taking action. We know from previous strikes that not all academic staff are in UCU or might not strike on all of the days. Some staff may let you know in advance about their intentions to strike, but are not required to do so.

Your School will be the best source of information about cancelled or rescheduled classes and activities.

Can I study remotely and not cross the picket line?

Yes, you can study remotely, and the Guild study space is here for you if you choose not to cross the picket line but would like somewhere quiet to work.

What does 'Crossing the Picket Line' mean?

'Crossing the picket line' means carrying on with your ordinary activities at a workplace during a period of strike action. Some people consider this to amount to undermining the industrial action and pickets will seek to persuade other staff members not to cross the picket line and not go into work as normal.

During strike action, students may decide not to cross the picket line. This means you act in solidarity with those striking and do not come onto campus for teaching, learning and other activities.

You should be advised that the University has informed the Guild that it would not consider a student's personal decision not to cross the picket line to be an "extenuating circumstance" if your learning or results were impacted. International students on Student Visas will also need to be aware that normal attendance requirements would continue to apply unless your individual teaching sessions were cancelled due to strike action.

What's considered crossing the picket line?

Coming to the Guild Building and/ or Sports Pitches are not considered crossing the picket line.

You can also access Student Support and Wellbeing remotely, and using these services is not normally considered crossing the picket line.

What is the Guild's stance on the strike action?

Prior to the three days of UCU strike action in December 2021, the Guild’s members voted overwhelmingly in a referendum to support UCU industrial action for the duration of this academic year. The Guild therefore continues to stand in solidarity with the UCU in their fight for secure pensions and working conditions.

Who can I talk to if I'm worried about strike action?

Your School will be the best source of information about cancelled or rescheduled classes and activities.

You can also talk to Guild Advice if you are worried about the impact of the strikes on your studies. Your Guild Officers will also be working to represent your academic interests throughout the strike period.

How is the Guild representing my academic interests?

Guild Officers will be asking the University to consider the following:

- That you should not be assessed on material for which no teaching is provided

- Assessment deadlines should be extended on affected courses

- Exam boards should be able to scale marks where students’ performance in affected modules is impacted

- Students should be compensated for teaching not received through additional learning opportunities or monetary compensation

- Any savings on unpaid wages during industrial action should be ring-fenced for student-focused causes

Regardless of your stance on strike action, Guild Advice are here to help you with any academic issues during the strike period. They can also help you submit a complaint about the impact of strikes on your education, should you so wish.

What are Student Reps doing about the strike?

Student Reps will be working with staff on your course at a local level to support.

How will the strike action affect International students?

If you are on student visa you will not be penalised if you are unable to attend classes that have been cancelled due to the strike action. You should continue to engage with your programme of study as advised by your School.

What can I do if I want to complain?

Jargon Buster

If you're wondering what we mean by any of the words or phrases above, take a look below for an explanation:

Picket Line

A picket line is a boundary established by workers on strike, usually at the entrance to their workplace, which others are asked not to cross. We currently do not know what would be considered a picket line when teaching is delivered online.

Industrial Action

Industrial action is usually organised by trade unions, most commonly when employees are forced out of work or unhappy with a work related situation where the employees were unable to reach an agreement with the employer. Industrial action can include striking, action short of strike or lockout (where the employer stops workers from working).

Action Short of Strike

Action short of a strike (ASOS) is defined by the UCU to potentially include: working to contract (only the hours defined by their contract, e.g. 9-5pm); not undertaking any voluntary activities.

Casualisation

The transformation of a workforce from largely employed on permanent contracts to largely employed on a short-term or casual basis.

Trade Union

An organised association of workers in a trade, group of trades, or profession, trade unions are formed to protect and further the rights and interests of their members (this is different to students’ unions which are charities rather than trade unions).

Ballot

Either a system of voting secretly and in writing on a particular issue, or as a verb, an organisation asking members to vote secretly on an issue.

Strike

A strike is a period of time where employees decide not to come into work in protest about a particular aspect about their employment. They do not get paid whilst on strike. Strikes are often referred to as ‘industrial action’.