See our strike programme for 21-25 March 2022 and sign up for our picket rota here.
See our latest strike and ASOS FAQs in relation to 2021-22 industrial action.
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Members are currently carrying out an indicative ballot re face-to-face teaching for 2021. See: https://www.ucu.essex.ac.uk/2020/12/17/branch-indicative-ballot-opens-today-thurs-17-dec-2020/
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Members took 14 more days of strike action during February and March 2020. The further HE ballot was then postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus in March 2020. USS dispute is currently paused and the Four Fights dispute is under discussion.
Report and photos from Day 1 of action 20 Feb
Report from days 2 to 4 of action (Tues 25 Feb)
Essex UCU took strike action from Mon 25 Nov to Wed 4 Dec. Now we are working to contract. All your FAQs are answered at www.ucu.org.uk/heaction or branch members with individual questions not answered at this webpage should email ucu-strike-advice@ucumail.essex.ac.uk
Strike fund info can be found on this page: http://www.ucu.essex.ac.uk/current-industrial-action/local-strike-fund-2/
Right-we’re off and running -with day one of the strikes today-see http://www.ucu.essex.ac.uk/2019/11/25/strike-day-1-report-25-nov-2019/
We’ll be tweeting throughout the strike period so check there for photos: https://twitter.com/UCUEssex
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PLEASE USE YOUR VOTE! We need min 50% turnout for these votes to be valid!
A ballot on all USS members plus one in all universities on pay, equality, job security and workloads, opened on 9 September and closes on 30 October 2019…see https://www.ucu.org.uk/ for latest updates
Oct 31st 2019: These ballots achieved ther 50 % min turnout : https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/10399/UCU-members-back-strikes-over-both-pensions-and-pay-and-conditions
and members voted for action!
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**22 Feb 2019 update**. Ballot on pay and equality closed. 50% turnout was not achieved. Read the What the dispute was about
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Oct 2018: Trade union laws frustrate action on pay and equality
Ballots in higher education (HE) and further education (FE) in England closed earlier this month full results can be found here. Thanks to everyone that voted and helped to get the vote out. Unfortunately despite enormous efforts, very few institutions achieved the 50% turnout now required under anti-trade union laws. The results and next steps will now be considered by the union. Find out more about the campaign to repeal the anti-trade union laws here.
Strike funds
The local branch strike fund bank account is finally ready! Apologies it’s taken so long- there was a slight hitch with establishing a second account.
- You can donate electronically using these details: Unity Trust Bank, Account number: 20393700, Sort code: 60 83 01, Name : UCU Essex LA020 Strike Fund. If you prefer, you can send a cheque to Lorraine Collins, UCU Manager, 5A.102, University of Essex, Colchester CO4 3SQ. Or hand cash to any committee member! (http://essex.web.ucu.org.uk/elected-members-of-ucu/) There are very limited funds in this fund at present so further donations would be much appreciated.
- Read here to apply for strike pay from the national UCU Fighting Fund
- Read UCU Essex Local Strike Fund Guidance (3) on how the branch will allocate disbursements from the local branch strike fund-and use this form: UCU Essex Local Strike Fund Application form (3) Care has been taken to make the process completely confidential. Only one person (branch manager Lorraine Collins) will see names and personal details.
Timeline of what happened in our 2018 fight against USS changes:
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Following the closure of today’s consultative ballot (13 April 2018) , members have voted to accept the UUK deal see: http://essex.web.ucu.org.uk/2018/04/13/ucu-members-have-voted-to-accept-the-uuk-offer-13-april-2014/
- Update on 12 April: consultative ballot still open. See https://www.ucu.org.uk/strikeforuss for national updates. An informal meeting was held within this branch to discuss the different views. Please remember we are still working to ASOS. Please note new visa advice pertaining to USS strike action has been released today.
- FAQs -most of the queries we are receiving are answered here! Then if you are still unsure email the branch on ucu-strike-advice@ucumail.essex.ac.uk
- Following 28 March HEC meeting, it was decided that UCU members will be consulted over the new (2nd) proposal on offer from UUK (plus read here for further comments on the proposal from Sally Hunt)
- Strike day #14– end of phase one of strike action. Strikes ended on 16 March but members are still working to asos. UCU HEC have agreed a further 19 days of strikes, but dates for these are still to be announced.
- See photo gallery page for picket line photos
- Strike days #12 and #13. Informal picket line meeting held and EGM called.
- Strike day #11 report: Strikes remain for remainder of this week as planned. Acas proposal was rejected read here for details of that proposal:
- Mon 12 March saw a Teach Out and rally after strike day #10 on the picket lines. That evening there was a proposal from the acas negotiations.
- ** strike update day#9** plus details of lots of events coming up tomorrow & next week in support of our action….**
- ** strike update from days 6-8 incl**
- ** Strike Day #5 update**
- **Strike Day #4 update**
- ** Strike Day #3 update**
- ** Strike Day #2 update**
- **Strike Day #1 update **
- At Essex University, along with members at 61 other universities, members of Essex UCU were on strike: Thurs 22 Feb & Fri 23 Feb, then Mon 26 Feb to Wed 28 Feb, Mon 5 March to Thurs 8 March, and Mon 12 March to Fri 16 March. Action short of a strike also commenced on 22 Feb.
- Picket lines: Please email in with picket dates you are available on ucu-picket@ucumail.essex.ac.uk You can turn up to the picket lines and be part of the support crowd even if you’re not on the picket rota.
- Student support: UCU has produced a video for members to share with students. If you prefer you could download a letter to share with students. The NUS have supported this action. Essex SU has issued a new statement of support following their meeting with the Deputy VC on 27 Feb 2018 and we are very pleased to have their support. See this video thanking students nationally for their solidarity.
- Posters-local branch “we’re on strike” notice: on strike poster and national door poster: in colour or black & white
- National website updates: www.ucu.org.uk/strikeforuss
- Our vice-chancellor (VC), Anthony Forster, of the University of Essex joined the leaders of institutions like Loughborough, Glasgow, Warwick, Birkbeck, Goldsmiths, Strathclyde, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and others in publicly calling for a resumption of national talks to resolve the USS dispute on 19 Feb 2018. In accepting that a solution to the dispute may well mean increases in contributions for employers he says succinctly that ‘principles sometimes cost money.’ Essex UCU thank the VC for speaking out. See full message:in Times Higher Education Supplement: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/blog/universities-must-pay-more-protect-pensions Online link to Essex VC blog: http://blogs.essex.ac.uk/vc/
- Non-members who wish to support us are asked to join UCU Or you could bring coffee to the picket lines & come and say hi!
- Local strike fund. In Progress! Watch this space. Just awaiting the bank to process the application.
- National strike pay fund
- New members: there have been thousands signing up due to the strikes. Our membership team are struggling to get confirmations to new members as quickly as they usually would. If you join online-take a screen shot of your form before you submit-as proof you have joined…till your confirmation comes through. But you can immediately go on strike and assume our protection.