BREAKING: Strikes to continue as UCU rejects proposal

The University College Union (UCU) have rejected the transitional agreement reached yesterday over the ongoing pensions dispute. The UCU’s Higher Education Committee (HEC) met with UCU Branch leaders on Tuesday 13 March to discuss the revised benefit reform proposal presented by Acas on Monday 12 March.

In accordance with great opposition from individual branches, the UCU have rejected the offer established at Acas.

The UCU have stated: “The union said the strikes and action short of a strike remain on, and it would now make detailed preparations for strikes over the assessment and exam period.”

General Secretary of the UCU Sally Hunt has confirmed: “The strike action for this week remains on and we will now make detailed preparations for strikes over the assessment and exam period. We want urgent talks with the universities’ representatives to try and find a way to get this dispute resolved.”

She also emphasised that the clear discontent among branches had contributed to the decision.

As of 1pm on Tuesday 13, 43 branches of the UCU had campaigned for the committee to reject the proposal. Members of Warwick’s branch of the UCU have been keen to stress that they were among the first to speak against the proposals.

Following the rejection, a Universities UK spokesperson said: “It is hugely disappointing that students’ education will be further disrupted through continued strike action.

“We have engaged extensively with UCU negotiators to find a mutually acceptable way forward. The jointly developed proposal on the table, agreed at ACAS, addresses the priorities that UCU set out.

“We have listened to the concerns of university staff and offered to increase employer contributions to ensure that all members would receive meaningful defined benefits.

“We recognised concerns raised about the valuation and have agreed to convene an independent expert valuation group.

“Our hope is that UCU can find a way to continue to engage constructively, in the interests of students and those staff who are keen to return to work.”

The proposed changes included maintaining a “meaningful level of defined benefits (DB) for all scheme members”. The proposal suggested an increase in both employer and employee contributions, a total employer contribution of 19.3% of salaries and a total member contribution of 8.7%. According to UUK, this would have ensured a deficit recovery of 4.5%.

However, throughout Monday and Tuesday, branches within the UCU had been rejecting the new changes as “meaningful”.

Over 120 members of the Warwick UCU branch met for an emergency meeting on the morning of Tuesday 13, following news of the controversial transitional agreement.

The agreement was opposed by the Warwick UCU branch, who also sent a delegate to the national UCU conference and posted a statement on Facebook confirming their opposition.

During this meeting, 115 out of 120 members voted against the agreement. The remaining 5 members abstained.

An hour prior to UCU’s official statement of rejection on Tuesday, Warwick UCU tweeted: “Looks like the sham deal had been rejected. Strikes are still on!”

Looks like the sham deal had been rejected. Strikes are still on! https://t.co/sSUFEA9WbN

— Warwick UCU (@WarwickUCU) March 13, 2018

On Tuesday afternoon, Warwick Anti-Casualisation (WAC) were joined by Warwick UCU members in a personal capacity at a student-led march on University House.

The group was chanting: “Warwick uni hear us say, pensions are here to stay, uni house let us in, all we want to do is sing.”