UCU industrial action: initial use of strike monies

Thursday, 19 April 2018

As you will be aware, last term the University and College Union (UCU) undertook a period of industrial action as part of its opposition to proposed changes to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS).

The University Executive Board agreed that any money deducted from staff taking part in strike action would be ring-fenced and used initially to help meet the costs of mitigating the action and its impact on our students. Remaining funds would then be used to directly support the welfare of students and staff. 

Following consultation with the Reading University Students’ Union (RUSU), UEB has agreed that there should be free gown hire for all graduands in 2018. Students expecting to graduate this year will not benefit directly from any further investments that the University might make to improve the welfare of students. Paying for gown hire for all graduands – undergraduate and postgraduate – at the July, September and December graduation ceremonies in 2018 is a way of acknowledging the impact of the strike action on this particular group of students. We will contact students expecting to graduate this summer in mid-May with further information about how to book their graduation robes.  

We will keep you updated as decisions are made about how remaining funds will be used to support other student and staff welfare activities.