University Strikes: UCU halts nationwide strikes for two weeks due to ‘significant progress’ in UUK talks

Milan Perera NewsReporter

Abreakthrough development in the University College Union (UCU) strike actions took place as the UCU decided to halt university strikes for two weeks.

In this latest shift in the stand o between the UCU and university authorities, UCU General Secretary Jo Grady posted a video on Twitter on Friday, February 17 where she pointed out that: ‘We have agreed a two week period of calm.’

She went on further to say it 'will enable us to hold intensive negotiations with the aim of reaching a nal agreement.'

In an email sent to UCU members, Grady outlined the summary of some of the central issues covered with the university authorities which includ- ed pensions, casualisation, workloads and zero hour contracts.

Planned industrial action on February 21, 22, 23, 27 and 28 along with March 1 and 2 will now not go ahead. But the strike action later in the term, on March 16, 17, 20, 21 and 22 is still scheduled to take place.

The UCU has been on strike over a pay rise in line with in ation, improvements to pensions after recent cuts, an end to casualised contracts and a 35 hour working week.

Jo Grady, General Secretary of the UCU said: ‘We have reached a point in discussions with our employers where we have made signicant progress across a range of issues.

'To allow our ongoing negotiations to continue in a constructive environment we have agreed to pause action across our pay and working conditions and USS pensions disputes for the next two weeks and create a period of calm.

'Before going into details of the progress we have made we want to make it absolutely clear that this is simply a pause.’

The dispute over pensions began more than a decade ago, but was reignited by the revaluation of the pension scheme used by academic sta - the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS).

The Bristol branch of the UCU stated online that 'this is only a pause. Joint unions have not called o all scheduled strikes. Our next UCU day of scheduled strike action and Bristol UCU picketing is Thursday, 16th March.' Although strikes are postponed, action short of a strike is still in force. This means many UCU members will not, for example, reschedule teaching or perform voluntary tasks.