Lectures could be halted at 68 universities amid calls for strike action by University and College Union (UCU) academics.
With education already disrupted last month due to a three-day strike, ten more institutions face walkouts after lecturers at 58 colleges were left unsatisfied following a row over pensions, pay and conditions.
The Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) said a decision to re-ballot staff was “disappointing.”
In a statement, Raj Jethwa, Chief Executive of UCEA, said “There was surprise and disappointment at UCU’s decision to re-ballot hand-picked HE institutions over last year’s pay outcome. Just over a quarter (9 of 38) of the branches reached the legal 50% turnout threshold required for industrial action over pay.
While the results will be disappointing for UCU’s campaign leaders there will be further widespread dismay at all at those HE institutions where strike action will now be considered. It is now nearly six months (August 2021) since employees covered by the national pay negotiations saw pay increases of at least 1.5%. The great majority of HE staff understand the financial realities for their institutions and have moved on from last year’s balanced outcome. We trust that the UCU will now engage constructively in this year’s (2022-23) multi-employer negotiating round which is planned to begin at the end of March.”
63 higher education institutions will now be considered for further industrial action by UCU’s Higher Education Committee. There are 146 Higher Education Institutions in the 2021-22 pay round. These nine higher education institutions will now be added to the initial 54 institutions.
