An update on the industrial dispute between higher education providers (including The Open University) and members of the Universities and College Union (UCU).
We are disappointed to hear that the industrial dispute between higher education providers (including The Open University) and members of the Universities and College Union (UCU) has still not been resolved, with a further 18 days of strike action confirmed, with exact dates due to be announced soon. In addition to this, students should be aware that if the dispute is not resolved, UCU will explore escalating their action to include a marking and assessment boycott later in the Spring.
We appreciate that the current economic environment makes reaching a solution that is satisfactory to all parties difficult, but we continue to urge them to negotiate positively to reach an agreed outcome that avoids further disruption to students. Whilst a recent offer regarding pay from the representative body of higher education provides (UCEA) was rejected by UCU, we are encouraged to see that efforts are taking place to reach a resolution.
As more information becomes available, we will continue to update our Strike Action FAQ page.