Get ready for the Respect FE ballots opening 14 June

I can now follow up on my last email and confirm that postal ballots for industrial action over pay, workload and professional respect will be open in 33 UCU branches, including yours, on 14 June and closing at 5pm on Friday 15 July.  

You can find the full list of institutions participating in the ballots on our website.

Don't forget that 50% of eligible members in every branch need to cast their vote to get a mandate for industrial action. That turnout threshold isn't our choice - it is imposed upon us by the law. That is why every vote really does count. 

Whenever UCU branches clear that 50% turnout threshold by a big margin, it puts them in a position to win disputes. It sends a message to the employer, long before any action is taken, that staff are organised and united and determined to do what is necessary to win. That is exactly what happened in last year's pay campaign so let's make sure we do it on an even larger scale this year. 

2022-23 sees the biggest increase in central government funding for a long time. This money allows employers to offer several percent more on pay than they have done in recent years - but most employers won't do that unless they face a threat of industrial action. If your ballot papers are sent to the wrong address and you don't order a replacement, you and your colleagues could miss an opportunity to win higher pay at a time when the prices of food, energy, and other basic household expenses are soaring. 

In the coming weeks UCU reps and staff will be doing everything possible to highlight the issues at the centre of this campaign, get the vote out, and put pressure on employers, and I will be in touch with regular updates. But that work will only have an impact if you take the all important first step. As soon as your ballot papers arrive next week, post your vote back in the pre-paid envelope. 

In solidarity, 

Jo Grady
UCU general secretary