UNISON’s higher education conference, attended by delegates from higher education branches across the UK last week, took a decision to fully consult members via their branches to develop a strategy for future action, before calling any further strike days in the ongoing pay dispute.
Conference applauded the members who have been on strike and the work that branches and activists have taken to ensure that the pay dispute has been as successful as possible.
However, conference felt that it was important to reflect on the impact of the action so far and for UNISON’s higher education service group executive to discuss the future strategy for winning the dispute.
The executive will meet on 20 March to look at the implications of the motion and process for the consultation.
“We applaud all members who have taken action on the three strike days,” said national secretary Jon Richards.
“Without our members we are nothing, but we must continue to recruit and organise.
“The success of any strike depends on the strength of our membership. Unfortunately, there are many support staff working in higher education who are not our members.
“We cannot properly organise and defend working people if they do not join us,” added Mr Richards
The conference decision means that, before any further strike days are called, the service group executive will develop a strategy to maximise the impact of future action and make sure members are only called out when there is likely to be significant impact on higher education institutions.
UNISON will enter into exploratory talks with the employers and other trade unions ahead of the 2014/15 pay talks that start on 26 March 2014.