University strikes: Queen's and Ulster could face 18 days of action

Union members were previously on strike for three days in November 2022

Queen's University Belfast (QUB) and Ulster University (UU) could face almost four weeks of "unprecedented" strike action by some staff during February and March.

The University and College Union (UCU), which represents lecturers and support staff, has announced dates for 18 days of action.

The action relates to disputes over pay, working conditions and pensions.

Union members were previously out on strike for three days in November 2022.

The strike is due to begin on Wednesday 1 February with further walkouts on Thursday 9 and Friday 10 February.

UCU members would then strike on 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 27 and 28 February.

There would then be further action on Wednesday 1 and Thursday 2 March, and then later in the month on 16,17, 20, 21 and 22 March.

In Northern Ireland, however, university classes would normally be cancelled on 17 March anyway as St Patrick's Day is a public holiday.

The UCU is due to meet the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) on Wednesday for last-ditch talks.

In a statement, the union said it was "demanding a meaningful pay rise to deal with the cost-of-living crisis as well as action to end the use of insecure contracts" or the strikes would go ahead.

"A resolution can be reached, but that is in the gift of university vice-chancellors who need to urgently reassess their priorities and deliver a deal that benefits staff and students," the UCU said.

"From February, our union will begin re-balloting its members to allow action to continue through the rest of the academic year, should they continue to drag their feet."

The UCU also said the employers needed to "substantially improve" a pay offer of 4-5% to avoid disruption.

The strike is due to begin on Wednesday 1 February with further walkouts on Thursday 9 and Friday 10 February

But the UCEA recently said its pay offer "would mean an uplift of up to 7%, with a minimum of 5% for anyone earning up to £51,000".

The employers association also said if the strike went ahead it would have a "damaging impact on students" and called for the UCU to "provide its members with a realistic and fair assessment of what is achievable."

About 150 universities across the UK face disruption if the action goes ahead, including QUB and UU, as well as the Open University.

The UCU said it would be "the biggest series of strikes ever to hit UK university campuses."

Union members do not have to inform universities in advance if they will strike, so it is not clear how many classes or lectures would be cancelled by the action.

It is also not known exactly how many staff at QUB and UU would strike, but UCU is a union with hundreds of members at both universities.

The dispute between the UCU and university employers has been a long-running one, with previous strikes in 2019, 2020 and 2022.