The University and College Union (UCU) is the Trade Union which represents over 110,000 academics, lecturers, trainers, instructors, researchers, managers, administrators, computer staff, librarians and postgraduates in universities, colleges, prisons, adult education and training organisations across the UK.

Nationally, the reasons why UCU have decided to ballot can be summarised under two headings: Pay & Working conditions dispute, and Pension dispute. UCU state that the UK university sector generated record income of £41.1bn last year with vice chancellors collectively earning an estimated £45million. UCU argue that the sector can afford to meet staff demands.

1) Pay and Working conditions dispute

UCU are demanding a meaningful pay rise to deal with the cost-of-living crisis and action to end the use of insecure contracts. This is after employers implemented a pay rise worth 3% this year following over a decade of below inflation pay awards. A third of academic staff are on some form of temporary contract.

2) Pensions dispute

UCU is demanding employers revoke the cuts and restore benefits. They argue that the package of cuts made earlier this year will see the average member lose 35% from their guaranteed future retirement income. UCU report that for those at the beginning of their careers the losses are in the hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Read UCU's full announcement here from November. 

Read UCU's updated announcement here from January

• SU Officers have met with UCU to understand the issue and how we can work together to limit the use of strikes and allow students to understand why lecturers are striking.

• SU Officers are meeting with senior University staff, and raised concerns relating to how the University will minimise the impact of strikes.

• The SU held a referendum to allow all members to have their say on whether The SU should support UCU's industrial action for the remainder of the 2022/23 academic year. 

• In relation to the proposed Marking and Assessment Boycott SU Officers met with UCU representatives and senior University staff for an update and to highlight student concerns and request information on how the University will be mitigating against impact for students. Weekly meetings will take place to ensure The SU is updated and student concerns can be fed through.

• The SU has built this Strikes information and FAQ page.

• Strikes are meant to disrupt, this may mean that certain staff are unavailable, lectures, seminars and meetings are cancelled last minute, and services take longer than usual.

• UCU have explained that staff do not want to carry out industrial action, but they believe the threat is a necessary use of action which will progress talks.

• Students will not be abandoned. The University always ensures essential services such as Wellbeing, Security and Food provision will continue but may be disrupted. The SU will maintain communication with students as the strike progresses. 

• If you incur extra costs due to the Industrial action, then you can make an application to the University of Bath Hardship Fund for financial assistance. If you have any further questions, please contact Student Money Advice.

• If your wellbeing is impacted, please see the FAQ 'Where can I get help or advice if I'm worried?' further down on this page.

• Further strikes and industrial action such as assessment and marking boycotts could happen if the dispute goes unresolved.
• UCU have said that this disruption can be avoided if "employers act fast and make improved offers". And stated in November that, if employers don't, strike action would escalate in the New Year alongside a marking and assessment boycott.

We have asked UCU about how students can demonstrate their support for strike action if they wish to, UCU has advised that students can:

• Follow and RT/like '@UCUBath' on Twitter or '@bath_ucu' on Instagram.
• Send messages in support of striking staff demands on social media – tagging #ucurising, #bathucurising @UCUBath, @UCU, @UniofBath.
• Write to the Vice-Chancellor (vice-chancellor@bath.ac.uk): ask that he publicly call upon UCEA and UUK to offer deals acceptable to UCU.
• Email and talk to lecturers/tutors and tell them you support the strike / ask them to support the strike.
• Talk to fellow students and explain why the strike action is taking place, and ask them to similarly support the strike.
• Visit the picket lines and chat to striking staff.
• Download resources from UCU, print them for windows (especially on campus), or tweet/post them: https://www.ucu.org.uk/supportthestrikes.

• Student complaints are delt with on a case-by-case basis, but the University usually takes reasonable steps to minimise potential disruption.
• The University is regulated by the Office for Students as well as the Competition and Markets Authority which ensure that students’ learning objectives are met.
• If students believe their learning objectives are not being met, then they can make a complaint to the University via the Student Complaints Procedure. 
• The SU Advice and Support team can provide support to students issuing a complaint. They are available via: suadvice@bath.ac.uk or in the Advice and Support Office, Level 3 of the Student Centre, Monday – Friday, 10:00 – 15:30.

NUS have announced support for the strikes. VP Higher Education, Chloe Field, has said "'Students stand in solidarity with the 70,000 university staff across the UK who will strike later this month. Staff teaching conditions are students' learning conditions, and we must fight together for a fairer, healthier education system for everyone who works and studies". Read more here.

Your Director of Studies can offer you specific advice about your academic experience. Doctoral students can also receive support from the Doctoral College.

The University have also published their own Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) webpages:

• Industrial action: FAQs for students [awaiting link].

• Your Director of Studies can offer you advice about your specific academic circumstances. Doctoral students can also receive support from the Doctoral College.
• The University’s Wellbeing Service is available seven days a week. You can book an appointment online or get in touch by phone (01225 383838) or email (wellbeingservice@bath.ac.uk). All the services are confidential.
• Our Be Well - Talk Now service also provides free, confidential advice and support by phone, video call or live chat from anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
• The Advice & Support Centre at the Students’ Union offers independent advice on your academic circumstances and options, including on the complaints process, and provides a range of other support services. The Advice and Support team are impartial and neutral and will provide you with advice regardless of the stance taken by The SU following the referendum.

• Check out our Toolkit below.
• You should continue with your academic work, attend all scheduled classes, and prepare for assessments as normal. If you are especially worried about a particular assessment, please write to your Director of Studies or Head of Department.
• You can also turn to the Academic Skills Centre for generalised help with assignments.

It’s normal to feel distressed about the impact of strike action on your studies or research (if you’re a Doctoral Student) especially if you’ve experienced disruption before.

First step: read the SU guide to the Staff Strikes to understand why the industrial action is taking place.

Second step: check with your Academic Department to see what additional arrangements are being made to minimise the disruption to your work.

Each Faculty/Department/School will make different adjustments depending on the level of disruption, so it’s hard to say exactly what will be appropriate to your situation. Actions Departments have taken in the past include:

• Rescheduling in-person teaching to later in the year.
• Providing some material online.
• Delivering teaching in other formats, e.g. guided readings or recordings.
• Adjusting submission deadlines & the weight & content of assessments.

Let your Department know as soon as possible if you believe the replacement learning opportunities don’t meet your needs, for example, if you are disabled, have an impairment or a specific learning difficulty.

Several services will remain open & available to you throughout the period of strike action.

• Students’ Union Advice Team (online & on campus)
• University Wellbeing
• Chaplaincy
• Nightline

The University’s obligations to you are covered by Consumer Protection Law. This means you can expect the University to make reasonable adjustments to minimise the impact of disruption on your studies, for example offering equivalent opportunities to compensate for missed teaching & treating all students fairly. If your Department takes reasonable steps to replace lost learning opportunities, it’s unlikely you’ll receive a refund on your tuition fees.

Tip: It’s a good idea to read your course handbook (or similar document) to understand what you are entitled to expect from your studies, in terms of contact hours & other learning opportunities.

If you are affected by strike action, we encourage you to keep a record of how your studies have been affected (e.g. a change in teaching hours, supervision, access to facilities, services & opportunities) plus any financial loss or distress this has caused you. This evidence is useful if you need to report significant impact on your ability to complete an assessment (via the IMC process, which the SU Advice and Support Team can help with) or believe you have grounds to make complaint. Examples of evidence you might record include:

• If you arrange for a paid notetaker & a lecture that’s cancelled at short notice, record any costs you’re still required to pay.
• If you’re particularly distressed about the disruption caused to a crucial assessment (e.g. in your final year or an assessment required to progress to the next level of your studies).
• If you feel the learning outcomes for a module aren’t delivered in full or to the expected standard by putting the material online.

Tip: When making a complaint, be aware it’s difficult to make a direct correlation between missed teaching & your tuition fees. You can’t divide £9,250 by the number of teaching weeks & the number of teaching hours per week to work out the cost of each lecture etc. Tuition fees cover more than just teaching activities and include access to facilities, support services & other learning opportunities.

Be aware it is possible that the University may quote a 'force majeure' clause (see the glossary below for a definition) to exclude any liability for losses caused by strike action (i.e. if the strike action is beyond their control).

If you feel your ability to undertake an assessment or exam has been significantly affected (for example, your have a specifici learning difficulty & the replacement learning activities don't meet your needs) you may be eligible to submit an Individual Mitigating Circumstances (IMC) claim. This process is to help students who have experienced exceptional disruption & impact on their studies.

The SU Advice and Support Team can guide you through the IMC process & review your IMC report form before you submit it. Email suadvice@bath.ac.uk

If you feel your Department hasn’t met your learning objectives through reasonable adjustments to teaching, you are entitled to make a complaint.

The University can receive complaints from a group of students who were all affected in the same way. You can submit a group complaint by appointing a representative/asking your academic rep and approaching the SU Advice & Support Centre. Our Advisors provide advice on writing your complaint & can support you to attend meetings as part of the complaints process.

Tip: Engaging with the formal University procedures is the best way to get your concerns addressed. By limiting your complaint to signing a petition, you might miss the opportunity to have your specific concerns properly addressed.

If you engage with the University procedure, you also ensure you have the option to make a complaint to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) if you’re unhappy with how the University handles your complaint. The OIA is an independent body who review student complaints about higher education provider. There service is free to all students but they will only consider complaints after they have been through the University process. The SU Advice and Support Team can help you to make a complaint to the OIA. You can read previous examples of student complaints & outcomes from strike action on the OIA website.

• An organisation that employees of a certain profession can join for representation and political bargaining (this is different to an SU - SUs are charities, not trade unions).

• A strike is a period of time where employees decide not to come into work in protest about a particular aspect about their employment. They do not get paid whilst on strike. Strikes are often referred to as ‘industrial action’.

• A picket line is a boundary established by workers on strike – often at the entrance to their workplace – which others are asked not to cross.

• The University and College Union (UCU) represents over 110,000 academics, lecturers, trainers, instructors, researchers, managers, administrators, computer staff, librarians and postgraduates in universities, colleges, prisons, adult education and training organisations across the UK.

• If the University relies on a force majeure clause, excluding liability for losses caused by strike action, that would have to be considered in the context of consumer law principles: terms and conditions, including rules and regulations, should be clear and transparent and should strike a fair balance between the University's rights and obligations and those of its students. There is also a debate to be had about whether strike action is genuinely force majeure – that is, out of the control of the provider.

• This is when workers take other action such as working to rule (follow official working rules and hours exactly in order to reduce output and efficiency), go slows, overtime bans or callout bans.