UCU strike dates: a complete list of institutions, as well as information on how long strikes will run and why employees are protesting

In a long-running dispute with universities over pensions and salaries, members of the University and College Union began their current round of strike action on Monday, February 14th.

In a 10-day strike, students at 68 UK universities will be disrupted in their studies.

The UCU has decided to separate the two disagreements in the most recent wave of action, with the first five-day walkout focussing on pensions and affecting 44 institutions from February 14 to 18.

On the 21st and 22nd of February, branches with a mandate for salary action will join the walkout, bringing the total number of picket lines to 68.

The final three days of protest, which will effect 63 universities and will focus solely on the salary issue, will take place from February 28 to March 2.

Universities UK (UUK), the organisation representing vice-chancellors, has proposed modification of the Universities Superannuation Scheme, which has sparked a pensions conflict (USS).

Vice-chancellors claim that the modifications are necessary to close a £15 billion financial gap, and that the USS will remain “one of the most appealing pension plans in the country.”

The UCU, on the other hand, has stated that the package will result in a reduction in members’ retirement benefits.

UCU is demanding a £2,500 wage raise for all employees, as well as action on workload, equalities salary gaps, and insecure contracts, as part of the pay dispute.

Week one (pensions) – five days from Monday 14 to Friday 18 February

• Aston University
• University of Bath
• Birkbeck College, University of London
• University of Birmingham
• University of Bradford
• University of Bristol
• University of Cambridge
• City, University of London
• Courtauld Institute of Art
• University of Dundee
• Durham University
• University of Edinburgh
• University of Essex
• University of Glasgow
• Goldsmiths, University of London
• Heriot-Watt University
• Imperial College London
• Institute of Development Studies
• Keele University
• University of Kent
• King’s College London (KCL)
• University of Lancaster
• University of Leeds
• University of Leicester
• University of Liverpool
• London School of Economics (LSE)
• London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)
• Loughborough University
• Newcastle University
• The University of Nottingham
• Open University (OU) (12 days of strikes – staff at the Open University are taking two extra days of strike action because the teaching model is different to a standard university week with the bulk of tutorials taking place during the weekend.)
• Queen Mary, University of London (QMUL)
• Queen’s University of Belfast (QUB)
• University of Reading
• Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL)
• University of Sheffield
• SOAS, University of London (The School of Oriental and African Studies)
• University of St Andrews
• University of Stirling
• University of Strathclyde
• University of Sussex
• Swansea University
• Ulster University
• University of York

Week two (both the pension and the pay dispute) – two days from Monday 21 to Tuesday 22 February

• Aston University
• University of Bath
• Birkbeck College, University of London
• University of Birmingham
• University of Bradford
• University of Brighton
• University of Bristol
• University of Cambridge
• University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)
• University of Chester
• City, University of London
• Courtauld Institute of Art
• University of Dundee
• Durham University
• Edinburgh Napier University
• University of Edinburgh
• University of Essex
• Glasgow School of Art
• University of Glasgow
• Goldsmiths, University of London
• University of Greenwich
• Heriot-Watt University
• Imperial College London
• Institute of Development Studies
• Keele University
• University of Kent
• King’s College London (KCL)
• Kingston University
• University of Lancaster
• University of Leeds
• University of Leicester
• Liverpool Hope University
• University of Liverpool
• London School of Economics (LSE)
• London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)
• Loughborough University
• Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU)
• The University of Manchester
• Newcastle University
• The University of Northampton
• Northumbria University
• The University of Nottingham
• Open University (OU) – 12 days of strikes
• Oxford Brookes University
• Queen Margaret University
• Queen Mary, University of London (QMUL)
• Queen’s University of Belfast (QUB)
• University of Reading
• Roehampton University
• Royal College of Art (RCA)
• Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL)
• Royal Northern College of Music
• University of Salford
• Sheffield Hallam University
• University of Sheffield
• SOAS, University of London (The School of Oriental and African Studies)
• University of St Andrews
• University of Stirling
• University of Strathclyde
• University of Sussex
• Swansea University
• UAL
• Ulster University
• University College London (UCL)
• University for the Creative Arts (UCA)
• University of Westminster
• Writtle University College
• University of York

Week three (pay dispute only) – three days from Monday 28 February to Wednesday 2 March 

• Aston University
• University of Bath
• Birkbeck College, University of London
• University of Birmingham
• University of Bradford
• University of Brighton
• University of Bristol
• University of Cambridge
• University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)
• University of Chester
• City, University of London
• Courtauld Institute of Art
• University of Dundee
• Durham University
• Edinburgh Napier University
• University of Edinburgh
• University of Essex
• Glasgow School of Art
• University of Glasgow
• Goldsmiths, University of London
• University of Greenwich
• Heriot-Watt University
• Imperial College London
• Institute of Development Studies
• Keele University
• University of Kent
• King’s College London (KCL)
• Kingston University
• University of Lancaster
• University of Leeds
• University of Leicester
• Liverpool Hope University
• University of Liverpool
• London School of Economics (LSE)
• London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)
• Loughborough University
• Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU)
• The University of Manchester
• Newcastle University
• The University of Northampton
• Northumbria University
• The University of Nottingham
• Open University (OU) – 12 days of strikes
• Oxford Brookes University
• Queen Margaret University
• Queen Mary, University of London (QMUL)
• Queen’s University of Belfast (QUB)
• University of Reading
• Roehampton University
• Royal College of Art (RCA)
• Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL)
• Royal Northern College of Music
• University of Salford
• Sheffield Hallam University
• University of Sheffield
• SOAS, University of London (The School of Oriental and African Studies)
• University of St Andrews
• University of Stirling
• University of Strathclyde
• University of Sussex
• Swansea University
• UAL
• Ulster University
• University College London (UCL)
• University for the Creative Arts (UCA)
• University of Westminster
• Writtle University College
• University of York