+ #RebuildFE + Your support is needed + Action for USS + It's your time + Transforming Lives -- + Build the Union + UCU campaign update + HE action centre * Members + Getting help -- + UCU member benefits + Want to get more involved? + Member networks + UCU fighting fund + UCU finances -- 7. USS latest 8. • 9. Action for USS * At work * Pensions * USS latest * Action for USS * USS - explained! * In Solidarity -- USS pension justice - we demand it (logo) Action for USS UCU members took serious and sustained industrial action in the face of damaging proposals from the employers which would effectively destroy the USS pension scheme. But the fight is not over! -- Following a recent USS branch delegate meeting, UCU's higher education committee has HEC unanimously agreed that while the USS dispute will remain live, no further action will be taken at this time. This also means that the re-ballot originally proposed to take place at the end of June will not now take place. The decision on whether to end the -- 15 March 2020 Reballots postponed due to Covid-19; pickets cancelled but action continues -- dispute over USS. They are now willing to agree with us on a range of issues. The two reports of the Joint Expert Panel have vindicated our position.' But she added 'Thanks to the action we took in 2018 we have completely changed the debate about the viability of our pension scheme - but that is not the same as winning victory and securing our pensions -- UCU general secretary Jo Grady appeared on the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 to outline the reasons UCU members are embarking on 14 days of strike action over USS and pay & related issues. 19 February 2020 UCU has laid the blame for the impending UCU strike action squarely at the door of the employers after Universities UK refused to make a new offer on pensions. -- 17 February 2020 UCU general secretary Jo Grady says 'the unprecedented level of action shows just how angry staff are at their universities' refusal to negotiate properly with us' as members prepare to walk out for 14 more days strike action from 20 February.' 11 February 2020 -- 10 February 2020 With ten days to go until the next wave of strike action in our higher education disputes, UCU general secretary Jo Grady has answered some of the questions and address some of the issues members have raised and invited members to join her for a live strike action Q&A on Thursday 13 February . -- Members in affected branches are being called to take 14 more days of strike action during February and March. UCU general secretary Jo Grady said that while members' action has made employers more cooperative, 'we haven't yet seen the movement we need.'. The full strike dates are: -- UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'UCU members at 74 universities could walk out this term. We have been clear from the outset that we are prepared to take serious and sustained action to defend pay and conditions, as well as our pensions, and these latest ballot results show that members are just as determined as ever': Staff at another 14 universities can join strike action Also today the USS Joint Expert Panel has updated on the fourth meeting -- Delegates at last December's higher education sector conference on USS voted to schedule 14 further days of strike action over USS, starting on 20 February and spread over four weeks. This schedule will be discussed when the higher education committee meets on 30 January. -- UCU revealed today that more than £100,000 has been donated to the UCU's fighting fund since the ballots for strike action at universities opened in September. UCU said the support and generosity from students, sister trade unions and the general public has been overwhelming, and -- 4 December 2019 With eight days of strike action drawing to a close and action short of a strike about to begin, UCU general secretary Jo Grady tells members 'employers should be in no doubt: they badly misjudged us'. -- acknowledge members' anger on picket line visits. Vice-chancellors need to speak out and press their negotiators to come back to the table with meaningful actions that can actually resolve the dispute. The strikes for Tuesday and Wednesday remain on and we will be meeting with branches at the end of the week at a special conference to discuss the -- UCU has [pdficon.gif?m=1578402492000] written to the USS employers [291kb] setting out some areas where we want them to commit to meaningful action. The letter says there should be full, collaborative consultation between USS and the USS employers over the technical provisions for the 2020 valuation and therefore the contribution rate. -- 28 November 2019 UCU general secretary writes to update members on the strike action and the latest talks with the employers, reporting that they 'are making vague promises about the way they will approach the next USS valuation -- UCU announced that more universities are to be balloted over strike action. These institutions* being balloted over USS are: * Imperial College London * University of Kent -- 24 November 2019 The day before action begins UCU general sceretary Jo Grady says 'We strike to improve our working conditions, but we also know as well as any group of workers that strikes are about education. Let's take this -- 21 November 2019 Industrial action confirmed after universities are accused of being 'all spin and no substance' in their response to disputes over pensions, pay and working conditions: University strikes ON after -- With one week until the strikes in 46 institutions over USS, UCU general secretary Jo Grady says the best way to make that happen is to be ready to follow through on our threat of strike action and make it as effective as possible: One week from strike action 15 November 2019 -- 5 November 2019 Sixty UK universities will be hit with eight days of strike action from Monday 25 November to Wednesday 4 December, UCU announced today: UCU announces eight days of strikes starting this month at 60 universities -- the powerful mandate you have given the union to get round the negotiating table and achieving a meaningful, lasting resolution': Eight days of strike action called in HE disputes 31 October 2019 UCU members working in UK universities have backed strike action in ballots over both pensions and pay and working conditions: UCU members back strikes over both pensions and pay and conditions -- UCU has announced it is pursuing investigation into the possibility of legal action against USS Trustee Ltd after a leading pensions QC found that there are grounds to proceed on the basis of breach of trust: Possibility of USS trustee legal action 3 October 2019 Access to UCU's fighting fund will be changed to enable better support for members in the event of strike action being taken as a result of the USS industrial action ballot, UCU general secretary, Jo Grady, has announced: Strike fund support -- 6 September 2019 Industrial action ballots confirmed: University strike ballots will open on Monday 9 September -- 25 July 2019 The USS annual report shows that satisfaction among scheme members has fallen dramatically: USS member satisfaction plummets 24 July 2019 -- UCU's higher education committee has set out a September timetable for a ballot on USS pensions and also for a pay ballot to run at the same time: Industrial action timetable announced 26 June 2019 -- Jo Grady, UCU general secretary-elect, has updated members about the Universities Superannuation Scheme dispute and possible further industrial action: USS and further industrial action 21 June 2019 -- 7 June 2019 UCU has written to 69 USS institutions warning over industrial action later this year if they do not rule out benefit cuts or contribution increases: Autumn strike warning for universities in USS pensions -- Report from the Joint Expert Panel's first meeting which discussed phase two of its work: JEP action points 5 February 2019 -- [pdficon.gif?m=1578402492000] The Financial Times reports on the significance of the JEP report [768kb] following UCU member action, stating 'the panel's 100-page report made for uncomfortable reading for the key players, including the regulator, which the panel accused of -- Delegates at a special higher education sector conference on the USS dispute held on 21 June passed a number of important motions on the Joint Export Panel and possible future action. 15 June 2018 -- Yes to accept the UUK offer 21,683 (64%) No to reject the UUK offer 12,230 (36%) In line with the decision of members all current and future industrial action is suspended but the union will keep the legal strike mandate live until the agreement between UCU and UUK is noted by USS. * Members vote to accept employers' latest offer -- ASOS continues * Strong member action leads to new offer * New offer sent to UCU members in USS pensions dispute -- of the offer, who will then feed back to the Higher Education Committee (HEC) on 28 March 2018. HEC will then decide whether it should be put to a full member ballot. Until then, action continues. 19 March 2018 -- Members at Ulster University and Queen's University of Belfast are not taking strike action on Friday 16 March but action short of a strike continues. * UCU calls on Home Secretary to address academics' immigration -- ASOS Day * Taking non-strike action * Universities threatening big pay deductions risk prolonging strikes -- 21 February 2018 On the eve of the biggest HE strike action ever Sally Hunt explains that the employers have left us with no choice: We have no choice: strike together for fair pensions -- UCU general secretary Sally Hunt appears on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme to explain the USS strike action: Strike action warnings on BBC Radio 4 UCU estimates that over 1 million students will be hit by the action with 575,000 teaching hours lost: Over 1 million students will be affected by university pensions strikes -- With less than two weeks to go until the first wave of strikes branches are now building for action. 7 February 2018 -- The National Union of Students has sent its support to UCU ahead of the wave of beginning of the strike action: National Union of Students' message of support to staff ahead of USS pension strikes -- UCU's higher education committee congratulated members on the mandate to defend pensions and agreed escalating strike action in the event of an unsatisfactory outcome to the talks: USS strike action agreed 18 January 2018 -- negotiations, affordability, breakthrough prospects, imposition implications, the 50% turnout requirement, replacement ballot papers, new joiners and voting, and what form of action is likely? 12 December 2017 -- USS ballot envelope Look out for your ballot papers 29 November 2017 Voting papers are now being sent out in the ballot for industrial action over proposals to end guaranteed pension payments in USS. They should reach members over the next few days. Please look out for your ballot envelope.