Update on UCU ballots on pay and working conditions, and pension
13 Apr 2022
Message from Adèle MacKinlay, Director of People and Organisational Development
We have now been informed of the outcome of the University and College Union (UCU) ballots of UCU members at our University on pay and working conditions, and changes to the USS pension arrangement. The ballots closed on Friday, 8 April 2022.
Based on these ballots, there is no mandate for further industrial action at our university at this time.
On pay and working conditions, the turnout was 47.9% of those eligible to vote (i.e. 951 voted out of about 2,000 UCU members) so failed to reach the legal 50% threshold required to give a mandate to extend industrial action in relation to this ballot beyond 3 May 2022. Of those voting, 79.3% voted in favour of strike action and 85.9% in favour of action short of a strike.
On changes to the USS pension arrangement, the turnout was 49.0% of eligible UCU members, so failed to reach the legal 50% threshold required to give a mandate for industrial action in relation to this ballot. 81.7% (793 staff) of those who voted were in favour of strike action, and 87.0% voted for action short of a strike.
In total, we have about 6,300 USS members and about 12,000 staff across the University.
Pay and pensions are negotiated nationally through UCEA and UUK respectively.
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