Strike & Hardship Pay Details 2022-23
Updated – July 2023
We encourage you to make use of both the national and local (if appropriate) strike funds. For many of us this is a challenging time, financially, and we want to make sure you know you can claim for strike days where you have lost wages. Please see this video from UCU.
The national officers have authorised payments from the national Fighting Fund in support of members in the HE disputes which started on 24th November 2022. Payments from the national scheme apply from your second strike day and currently up to a maximum of 20 days (maximum of 11 for action up to 1st May). In addition, as a branch, we have passed a motion to use our local strike fund to reimburse hourly-paid staff for the first day they strike and any later days which are not covered by the national fund. Please note the November, February and March dates are all considered a single set of actions meaning your “first day” of action (for which no payment is available from the national fund) is only counted once, not separately for each set of dates.
In order to receive a payment from the Fighting Fund members need to:
- be paying subscriptions at the correct rate (if any subscription is payable) (check your registered income band in MyUCU)
- have participated in official strike action for which officers have agreed to make funds available; and,
- provide evidence of deduction from their salary or loss of earnings for strike action.
Payment is made:
- in the sum of £50 for the second and subsequent days of strike action taken by the member earning £30,000 gross or more per annum (this is subject to a cap of 20 days. This will be kept under review); and,
- in the sum of up to £75 for the second and subsequent days of strike action taken by the member earning less than £30,000 gross per annum (this is subject to a cap of 20 days. This will be kept under review).
Claiming from the Local Fighting Fund
Extra financial help is available from the local branch fighting fund for members who are either:
- Hourly paid
- Are facing immediate financial hardship as a direct result of strike action e.g. difficulty paying for essentials for themselves or their dependants.
The local fund will pay out for the first day of strike action, and any later days which are not covered by the national fund, which is currently capped at 11 days for the period up to May the 1st.
We will also consider applications for MAB deductions where these are not covered by the national fund or where the shortfall still leaves you in immediate financial hardship.
To make a claim from the local fund, please send the following to our treasurer David Wilson:
Claims for loss of hourly earnings:
- confirmation from your School or Department of the hours not worked due to striking
- the number of hours missed and the hourly rate of pay you receive
- your normal annual earnings (so that we can verify you are paying the correct subscription level and determine which level of payment you are eligible for)
Claims for financial hardship:
- a list of days on which you have taken action
- payslips showing total deductions (including those covered by the national fund)
- your normal annual earnings (so that we can verify you are paying the correct subscription level and determine which level of payment you are eligible for)
Payments can be made up the normal daily maximum as above.
Note that due to national UCU rules, claims to the local fund must be made within 3 months of the deductions. We are seeking to change this to 12 months to match the national fighting fund rules.
Claiming from the National Strike Fund (all other claims)
Claims to the Fighting Fund in respect of all disputes can only be made once members receive payslips showing deductions for strike action. Please read the appropriate Guidance before making your application. The Higher Education Guidance can be found here.
Click here to make your application.
Donating to the National Fighting Fund
You can make a donation to the Fighting Fund here or by sending a cheque payable to UCU and marking the back of the cheque ‘donation to UCU fighting fund’. Please send cheques to UCU, Carlow Street, London NW1 7LH.
Donating to the Local Fighting Fund
You can make a donation to the local fighting fund via a bank transfer, please contact our treasurer, David Wilson, for more information.
LUCU Committee