Update on negotiations with UCEA

The UCU negotiating team, led by myself, went into the room with the full intention of finding a compromise which could have provided an interim settlement to this dispute, rewarded your sacrifice, restored some of the lost faith in our sector, and benefitted tens of thousands of students.

Sadly, it is not clear to us that the employer entered talks with the same aspiration. At this juncture, they are refusing to countenance that there should be any redress for members who have been subjected to grossly unfair and punitive pay deductions for backing the boycott. We cannot and will not sign up to any agreement that doesn't deal with what amounts to a punishment charter.

We have agreed to meet UCEA again on Wednesday 26 July, and hope that they will move from their current position of ruling out any movement on the redress of highly punitive MAB deductions.

The reality is, Wednesday represents a last chance to avoid escalation of this dispute. Your support has been incredible, but we once again need more.

Keep backing the boycott. Keep using social media. Keep speaking to your students. Keep donating to our fighting fund.

In solidarity

Jo Grady
UCU general secretary