News

Our colleagues at the University of Sheffield find themselves in a bitter dispute with their university management which has implications for all of us. They have called a public meeting for union members to which you are invited. No to the Lock Out! Solidarity with Sheffield UCU!Open Meeting for UCU membersMonday 12 January, 3:30pm(UCL UCU…

UCU and UNISON were out and about on Monday 8th December, distributing mince pies and chocolates across the Bloomsbury campus whilst bringing tidings of job losses and downgradings for  Professional Services staff through “EASE” restructuring, which is part of UCL’s ‘service simplification‘ project. As well as the main entrance on Gower Street, their festive trolley visited…

This is a formal calling notice for an Extraordinary General Meeting of UCL UCU which is taking place online via zoom on Wednesday 3rd December at 1pm.   This meeting has been timetabled to discuss the results of the national Industrial Action Ballot and next steps. We will also take the opportunity to discuss next steps in…

Yesterday a well-attended emergency meeting of UCL UCU agreed to declare a trade dispute with our employer about the threats to jobs, academic freedom and workloads arising from EASE, part of the UCL “Service Simplification” Programme. To build an effective campaign to save jobs, prevent increasing workloads and halt further centralisation away from departments, our…

This is a formal calling notice for an Emergency General Meeting of UCL UCU taking place online via zoom on  Monday 24th November 2025 at 1pm to discuss the latest developments in the EASE restructuring project. Members have been sent a registration link for this meeting. This meeting has been called to discuss next steps in…

If you can do one thing for your union, please do the following. Your committee is asking you to vote YES and YES in this ballot.  If you cannot find your envelope, it may have been sent to your office address. From Monday you will be able to ask for a new ballot paper from this…

In UK higher education, UCU is conducting an industrial action ballot involving 137 universities/higher education institutions (corresponding to 145 UCU branches). The ballot opened on Monday 20th October and closes at 5pm on Friday 28 November 2025. Have you received your ballot paper? It’s in a bright pink envelope and should be landing on your doormat…

UCL Cleaners protest In August, UCL’s subcontractor Sodexo announced plans to drastically cut cleaning services on campus and in halls of residence. Over 150 cleaners are set to lose their jobs and casuals will receive no redundancy pay. After three days of strike action in September, cleaners in the IWGB union voted for further strike action this Thursday 23…

We are writing with an important update on ‘Panopto’, UCL’s new lecture recording system. We previously reported the fact that the implementation of the system was in contradiction with UCL’s agreed policy on ‘opt-in’ and that staff were being misled about their rights. On further investigation we have found that the implementation is beset with…

This is a reminder that a General Meeting of UCL UCU will be taking place online via zoom onTuesday 21st October at 1pm. Members should register using the zoom link that has been emailed. Five motions have been submitted: Members are invited to submit amendments to these motions by emailing ucu@ucl.ac.uk. Amendments will be accepted until…