LUSU fail to meet quota to support UCU industrial action

The referendum on UCU’s Industrial Action on pensions was below the required 10 per cent quoracy


A post on LUSU’s website announced that Lancaster University’s staff union branch, Lancaster UCU, voted to take industrial action by striking next term over looming changes to pensions.

This includes increasing contributions from staff to their pensions and cuts to pension pay.

However, the vote was deemed “not binding” and not the “official position” of the Students’ Union due to the turnout only reaching 5.69 per cent, which was below the required 10 per cent quoracy (1660 students).

According to the Lancaster UCU Twitter, the Lancaster UCU General Meeting on Wednesday 10th November had a turnout of 53 per cent, with 75 per cent voting for strike action and 84 per cent voting for action short of a strike for USS Pension.

Their four fights revolve around fair pay, casualisation, cuts to staff pensions, job security.

They are taking a stand against the inequality, unfair working conditions and marketisation that they face at the university.

LUSU arranged a referendum vote for students to decide whether to support Lancaster UCU in their Industrial Action during Week five.

The question asked: “Do you believe that the Students’ Union should support the UCU industrial action this academic year on pensions, and on pay and working conditions?”

Students were given the options to either vote “Yes”, “No” or “Abstain” during this voting period.

Voting closed at midday on Friday 12th November for students to vote.

The results of those who voted was:

Yes – 566 votes

No – 347 votes

Abstain – 32 votes

Due to not hitting the quoracy, the referendum policy decision is considered not binding as a result.

The dates of the Industrial action are still to be determined, but students should expect it to happen in the next term (from January 2022).

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