UCU staff strike suspended after agreement to investigate

Following “constructive discussions” between the management of the University and College Union (UCU) and Unite, strike action at Britain’s largest higher education union has been suspended.

UCU workers, represented by Unite, have called for a strike over allegations of racism, breaches of collective agreements and broken industrial relations. The industrial action was due to last five days next month, starting on June 26.

The UCU has now approved a request for an independent investigation and announced that it will commission an independent expert to assess its organisational culture in parallel with an ongoing procedure with the mediation service Acas.

Unite has agreed to attend an upcoming meeting with UCU to set the framework for an inquiry into racism within the organisation.

In a joint statement from UCU and Unite, the unions said: “Both parties have agreed to continue to use the services of Acas and to keep channels of communication open. The priority for both parties is to avoid industrial action, restore good industrial relations and build trust.”

Unite said it had agreed to suspend strike action planned for June 26 “and to consider suspending further action pending the outcome of further discussions.”

A UCU spokesman added: “We welcome Unite’s decision to cancel the strike day in light of the constructive discussions with Acas on Monday. We look forward to continuing these discussions next week and hope to see further progress.”

The strike was timed to coincide with briefings that UCU General Secretary Jo Grady was due to hold to discuss details of her second term in office with members.

The first day of strikes took place on 30 May, leading to the cancellation of part of the UCU’s most important annual congress, at which a number of important motions were to be decided.

A Times Higher Education The report had previously uncovered allegations that there was a “culture of fear” in the workplace and that black employees were being harassed and discriminated against.

Announcing the strike last week, Unite said: “UCU’s organisational culture is fundamentally broken and it has a damaging approach to industrial relations. This is having a negative impact on the mental and physical health and safety of our members, as well as on their working conditions and job security.”

The UCU was further accused of “denying” the problems and of “failing to acknowledge the damaging impact that working in such a toxic culture” has on employees, “nor the dysfunctionality and chaos of operational processes”.

UCU and Unite are due to hold further talks facilitated by Acas on 26 June.

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