UCU announces marking and assessment boycott due to start later this month

146 universities around the country are expected to take part

2 years ago

The University and College union (UCU) has announced a marking and assessment boycott will be taking place, beginning on 20^thApril 2023.

This action is undergoing due to the continued disputes over pay and conditions. Members of the UCU are being asked to withhold all summative marking and other related tasks.

The union is hoping this will cause enough disruption and employers will do something about the pay and working conditions that they are striking over.

The vote by members of the union was unanimous with 85.6 per cent of the 56.4 per cent who votes choosing to continue strike action and marking boycott.

70,000 university members of staff have participated in the industrial action so far this year and are voting to continue fighting for this cause with the disputes far from settled.

With such an overwhelming number of members in favour of continued strike action, they have announced that strikes will continue for a further six months at 150 UK universities.

All eight Welsh Universities (Cardiff, Cardiff Met, University of South Wales, Bangor, Wrexham, Aberystwyth, and Swansea) are participating in these strikes and where members see fit will be participating in the marking boycott that will commence later this month. Although all of these Welsh universities may be participating, it is impossible to say which particular assessments and courses will be disrupted due to this industrial action as that is down to individual members of staff.