FAQ on Unite dispute 2024

 Latest news, 1 October 2024: click here for the joint statement agreed between UCU management and UCU Unite in Acas talks on 1 October 2024. 

5 September 2024: click here for the joint statement agreed between UCU management and UCU Unite in Acas talks on 5 September.

What has Unite been striking about?

There are several aspects to the Unite dispute that remain unresolved. They include: 

• recognition of a second staff union at UCU
• negotiation of an agreed gender recognition policy at UCU
• the absence of an agreed hybrid working policy.

A central component of the dispute, which has been addressed, concerns the establishment of an independent and external review into experiences of racism within UCU. As an employer that wants to ensure we do all we can to support our Black members and staff, a commitment to undertake the review was given in March 2024. Since then, UCU has worked with key parties within UCU to establish terms of reference and to jointly select suitable experts to undertake this review. More recently, terms of reference have been shared with the selected external panellists for their consideration, and we anticipate the review process to begin in September 2024. Once the review is underway, we will provide updates via the UCU website.   

In addition to being an employer that offers exemplary pay and conditions, UCU also want to ensure that our union remains a healthy and positive place to work. As such we have committed to undertaking a separate review of organisational culture at UCU. A commitment to undertake this review was given to Unite in June 2024. In consultation with Unite--and under the auspices of Acas--we are in the process of establishing other aspects of that review.

Why won't UCU agree a gender recognition policy?

It is not true to say UCU will not agree to this. We are fully committed to agreeing a policy with Unite on this issue. Because we want to ensure that this policy is as robust as possible, we took legal advice on an initial draft tabled by Unite. We subsequently strengthened the draft based on the legal advice. We returned that draft, as agreed with Unite, on 28 June 2024 along with proposed dates for further meetings to progress these discussions. We know the suggestion that UCU does not want to negotiate a policy in this area will have been upsetting and confusing (particularly to trans and non-binary UCU members). It is regrettable that it has been presented this way.

Why is there an absence of an agreed hybrid working policy?

We wish to see a return to office working on a hybrid basis for those staff who would welcome that. 

It is now four years since the pandemic. The vast majority of employers, and to our knowledge all trade unions including the TUC, have returned to some form of office-based working. This is all we are asking--nothing more, nothing less. To further support our staff, we want to see the return to office working on a phased basis and based on an understanding of staff members' current circumstances and wishes. This is something we have attempted previously, but was unsuccessful as Unite UCU branch officers encouraged staff not to engage with the process.

We are looking at a split of office working (whether this is office or site-based work) for 60% of working time and working from home for up to 40% of working time. We have put in place a fair and transparent process for staff to apply for exemptions from this based on personal circumstances (either because of caring responsibilities, personal health or other reasons), and we are very keen to support the development of different working patterns or arrangements for those workers. We are committed to negotiations with Unite on this and have tabled a draft policy to this end. We fundamentally believe that UCU is at its best--and delivers the best for its members--when we have a combination of working together in the same place, as well as working independently at home.

Why is there a second staff union in UCU?

A second staff union, GMB, was recognised by UCU in 2023 for staff on a specific grade. Email correspondence shown to us at the time between the Unite committee and members who left Unite, clearly demonstrates the reasons why this occurred, and includes the suggestion from Unite of 'creating two union branches which might better reflect the differences of interests'.

As an employer we are fully committed to all staff having representation through recognised staff union structures. A trade union could take no other position.  

Following extensive debate on this matter with Unite we have explored a range of options, including involvement of third parties to support a resolution. We are not in a position to revoke recognition of GMB which is what Unite has demanded, as this would leave a significant group of staff without collective representation.  

We believe that this is an issue that is best resolved either through the TUC inter-union dispute procedure--a procedure that we have committed to fully comply with and honour any outcome of--or another third-party process such as Acas. It has been reported that UCU has threatened to derecognise Unite. This is simply untrue. We do not have any intention whatsoever of derecognising Unite and claims that have been made to suggest otherwise are misleading and disappointing to see.   

We have tabled serious and tangible routes forward to resolve this issue, and we will continue to seek agreement. Discussion of this issue continues to be facilitated by Acas.

Will UCU undertake an organisational culture review?

We have accepted and welcome Unite's call for a full and independent investigation of UCU organisational culture. UCU offers some of the best terms and conditions in the trade union movement, but we also want to ensure that our union remains a healthy and positive place to work.  

A commitment to undertake this review was given to Unite in June 2024. In consultation with Unite--and under the auspices of Acas--we are in the process of discussing the scope of that review.

Will UCU undertake a review into experiences of racism within UCU?

As a trade union we take our equalities responsibilities very seriously. We want to do all we can to support our Black members and staff, and ensure we collectively build a better UCU. In March 2024 we instigated an external and independent review of experiences of racism within UCU and are committed to fully engaging with Unite and the Black members' standing committee (respectively, on the staff and member sides of the review) on the terms of reference. Along with Unite and the Black members' standing committee, we have agreed that a panel approach is suitable and have secured the participation of three expert panellists. Final drafts of terms of reference have been sent to the panellists and we hope that work can begin soon.

Unite claims Black staff are being disproportionately targeted by use of formal disciplinary procedures. Is this true?

Out of a current staff total of 216, there is currently one disciplinary procedure in progress. This involves a Black member of staff (as already disclosed by the Unite UCU branch) and was triggered by a complaint from a Black UCU member (the complainant agreed to the disclosure of this information).

In response to claims from Unite that UCU had unfairly decided to investigate the matter and had treated complaints against Black and white staff differently, management commissioned an independent review of the decisions from a KC. The KC confirmed that decisions had been made fairly. We are unable to comment further on this.

Why is UCU management refusing to meet Unite's outstanding demands?

It has been reported that strike action has only been called by Unite because UCU management has failed to put forward solutions to address Unite's concerns. This is incorrect. We have offered tangible--and in many cases far reaching--solutions on each issue raised by Unite. There is no genuine reason at all why Unite continues to pursue strike action, nor why Unite has escalated this to indefinite action.

Have any negotiations taken place between UCU management and Unite representatives?

UCU has held multiple meetings over several months with Unite with the aim of bringing the dispute to an end and avoiding any further strike action. Some of these have been facilitated by Acas, others have not. UCU management met with Unite with Acas on several occasions, the most recent being 12 August 2024. More meetings are currently being organised.

We have also sought, on many occasions, the involvement of senior figures in Unite (including the general secretary). We have additionally sought the assistance of the TUC (including the general secretary) in mediation. Despite the seriousness of this dispute for UCU and the trade union movement, it is disappointing that such support has not been given.

Before any more action is taken, we really want to see this dispute resolved and we are committed to continuing meaningful discussions with Unite under the auspices of Acas to achieve this.

Why are you not meeting with Unite right now?

Previous unfacilitated meetings with the Unite UCU branch have not produced positive results. Additionally, our sustained attempts to engage the Unite senior leadership have been met with silence. This is disappointing but it is also a reality. 

A more positive development has been using the services of Acas conciliation. This has proved very helpful in providing support for the negotiation process. We are discussing availability with Acas and have been holding 16 August 2024 and two days in the week commencing 19 August 2024 for potential further meetings. Unfortunately, Acas conciliators are unavailable on those dates due to other commitments that cannot be moved.  

We have offered availability the following week, including on 27 August 2024, which is normally a UCU closure day, and wait to hear whether Acas and Unite are also available then. We remain committed to resolving the dispute through negotiation if possible but are also clear that, regrettably, meeting without the support of Acas conciliation at this stage would be counterproductive.

We will use the period between meetings to continue to engage our staff and support them through this difficult period.

Update, 23 August 2024: UCU management were notified on Wednesday 21 August of a change to the planned Unite strike action, postponed from Monday 2 September to Monday 9 September. While we were pleased that there would not be strike action starting on 2 September, we were of the view that there was no justification for the action at all and that it ought to be called-off completely not merely postponed. UCU management had made clear our availability to meet at Acas on Tuesday 27 August and/or Wednesday 28 August, but Unite declined to meet on those days, which was why Wednesday 4 September was the earliest date for a further meeting with Acas.

Update, 4 September 2024: UCU and Unite met at Acas on Wednesday 4 September and UCU and talks reconvened online on Thursday 5 September.

Has UCU imposed a pay freeze on its staff?

No, UCU has not imposed a pay freeze. In the last three years, UCU pay increases have been as follows: 

• 2021-2022: 3.3%
• 2022-2023: 7.8%, plus cash payments of £3,000 to £9,500 (for lowest paid) 
• 2023-2024: 8.5%, plus cash payments of £0 to £3,600 (for lowest paid).

Further details can be found here.  

Regarding the 2024/25 pay talks, the Unite branch negotiators have requested (separately to any continuing negotiations at Acas aimed at resolving the current dispute) to start pay negotiations for the forthcoming year. We have responded making clear our desire to reach a negotiated resolution to the current dispute first, before starting fresh negotiations about pay. As a result, we have indicated that negotiations over the 2024/25 pay round will start once the current dispute has been resolved. We hope this can commence as soon as possible. When 2024/25 pay negotiations have been completed any settlement will of course be back dated to 1 August 2024.