UCEA willing to re-enter negotiations

Yesterday, Tuesday 4 July 2023, we received a letter from UCEA confirming their willingness to enter urgent negotiations to explore the potential of reaching an agreement to settle our dispute. 

I set out the terms UCU would want to see in any final agreement in communications to employers last week. To be absolutely clear--those are the terms on which we will seek to reach an agreement--regardless of any positions UCEA have set out.  

UCEA have said that they will not attend talks with preconditions, specifically citing the return of deductions as something they are not willing to concede now as a guarantee. It is important nevertheless that we meet with them to establish if we can negotiate for an outcome that members deserve. Meeting is always the right thing to do. 

Arrangements are now being put in place to finalise the date and time of the meeting. Full details of this and a subsequent update will be shared with you as soon as possible.  

In the meantime our dispute and industrial action continue. It is your resolve that has gotten us this far, and we need every UCU member to hold the line in the MAB and continue to give us the leverage we need in these negotiations.  

For any member not undertaking marking, please continue to donate to the fighting fund and your local hardship fund to ensure that our action remains unbreakable.  

Keep backing your union and keep backing each other. 

In solidarity

Jo Grady
UCU general secretary