University and College Union to raise levy on its members for strike fund

The University and College Union (UCU) has prompted anger among its members by announcing that money will automatically be taken from their accounts by direct debit. 

In an email to colleagues seen by Times Higher Education, UCU general secretary Dr Jo Grady announced that £15 will be taken from its members’ salaries via direct debit in two instalments.

The first instalment of £10 would be transferred on 31 August while the second instalment worth £5 would be transferred on 30 September.

The levy does not apply to student members of the UCU or members who are part of its free membership scheme.

The money will go towards maintaining the UCU’s “Fighting Fund”, a reserve designated to provide financial support to its members when they go on strike or face a reduction in their salaries.

The decision to raise the levy was taken by the UCU’s executive committee in February 2020 after staff at 74 UK universities walked out in a second wave of strikes following disputes with their employers over pay, conditions and the Universities Superannuation Scheme pensions.

I would happily give more than £15 to the fighting fund, but I would prefer to be asked, not told

– UCU member

In her email, Dr Grady argued that raising the levy was “necessary” because of “the unprecedented support [the Fighting Fund] provided to members over the past year in particular”.

She insisted that “UCU has raised and saved as much money as possible in the time available” and that it would be unable to continue to financially support its members without the levy.

The fact that the levy is mandatory has caused anger among its members and some of them took to Twitter to express their frustration.

One member tweeted: “I would happily give more than £15 to the fighting fund, but I would prefer to be asked, not told.”

Another major concern for UCU members is that the flat-rate levy does not take into account the fact that university staff earn vastly different salaries and do not all have the same level of job security.

On its website, UCU stated that this levy is “a one-off payment” and that no further requirements of financial contribution from its members are anticipated.