Update on UCU Rising Disputes
Local Survey Results
The results of the LUCU branch UCU Rising consultation survey are listed below:
| Question | Yes | No |
| Do you support moving forward in negotiations with UCEA based on the terms of reference agreed at ACAS? | 68% | 7% |
| Do you support UCU members being formally consulted over the commitments that have been agreed with UUK to restore benefits and lower pension contributions? | 89% | 1% |
| Do you support UCU members being formally consulted on the proposals that have been agreed with UCEA on pay, ending zero-hour contracts, workloads, casualisation and closing equality pay gaps? | 77% | 6% |
| If members vote for industrial action in the re-ballot, do you support beginning a Marking & Assessment Boycott over the pay and conditions dispute from w/b 17 April? | 51% | 28% |
| If members vote for industrial action in the re-ballot, do you support beginning a Marking & Assessment Boycott over the USS cuts imposed in April 2022 from w/b 17 April? | 44% | 35% |
Overall, it’s clear that there is strong support among LUCU members for further consultation and action, though there are some differing opinions on specific tactics. Please note abstentions are not listed above.
Branch Delegates Meeting (BDM) held on 29th March
The results of the national survey were the main topic of discussion. Mary Brewer, LUCU’s branch delegate, voted in line with your views as expressed in the local survey. Mary was given opportunity to speak and reported the main themes captured through your discursive feedback:
- Members’ have felt confused and uninformed
- Members feel that their voices were not heard by the Higher Education Committee (HEC)
- Central communications have been poor
- Members found the questions asked in the national surveys to be unclear and difficult to respond to
Our feedback was in line with that of many other branches and assurances were given that the feedback raised will be taken into account as the union moves forward in its efforts to represent its members effectively.
Results of UCU Rising Re-ballots
In the re-ballots for UCU’s pay and conditions and USS pensions disputes, our union has achieved resounding YES votes to continuing action, surpassing the anti-union turnout threshold in both disputes. The ballot results are:
| Ballot | Turnout | Yes to Strike Action | Yes to ASOS |
| Pay & Conditions | 56.41% | 85.65% | 89.92% |
| USS (Pensions) | 58.40% | 89.05% | 91.61% |
UCU has made history as the first education union in the UK to win multiple national ballots. Full results of the ballots can be found here. Negotiations will continue and notice of a national marking and assessment boycott will be served to employers later this month. Well done to everyone who voted in this ballot, helping UCU get over the line and empowering our negotiators. Very special thanks to our Get The Vote Out volunteers for their hard work.
What’s Next?
The LUCU committee will call a branch General Meeting as soon as we know more from the HEC about further action.
LUCU Committee