Uni staff 'intimidated' by pay forfeit warning

Union says staff are "intimidated" by the warning from the University of Sheffield

A university has threatened not to pay members of staff unless they make up for teaching missed while on strike.

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) at the University of Sheffield will forfeit 16 days of pay in November and December while striking, as is standard.

But the university has now said if they do not carry out the missed teaching, despite not having been paid for it, an extra two weeks of pay in January would also be withheld.

A university spokesperson said the approach was "ensuring students receive the education they are entitled to with minimal disruption", while the UCU said the institution was "intimidating" its members.

"We respect the right of staff members to participate in industrial action and understand this decision is not taken lightly," the university spokesperson said.

They said staff who chose not to replace missed teaching due to strike action would be in breach of contract, so not paying them was "in line with our long-established policy".

Pay for the period of 5 to 16 January would be withheld "until it is clear that arrangements for lost learning for our students have been made, either by 7 February 2026 or ahead of any assessment which relies on the learning, whichever is earliest".

'Brutal'

Staff said the email, sent by head of human resources Ian Wright on Friday night, had essentially asked them to "work for free to undermine the strike" in what they described as a "union-busting tactic".

One member of staff said they felt there was a "threat" of the pay deduction continuing beyond two weeks if they did not do as the university said.

UCU regional officer Julie Kelley said the plan was a "brutal" way to treat staff, particularly near Christmas, and the university "should be ashamed".

"This has nothing to do with helping students and everything to do with intimidating staff," she said.

"Rather than punish our members while they try to work, management should address the longstanding modest demands of staff and students and stop the cycle of restructures and job cuts."

The UCU said staff were taking action in response to redundancies, excessive workloads and cost cutting.

Ms Kelley said the union had offered to call off some of the remaining action if the university saved a "small number" of jobs, but it had refused and then announced the "lockout".

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