UCU: union staff vote to strike over ‘workplace racism’

Staff at the UK’s largest higher education union have voted overwhelmingly to strike over allegations of workplace racism.

The Unite union – which represents the University and College Union’s (UCU) own staff – is calling for an independent investigation into institutional racism and how the organisation is run.

It comes following a report in Times Higher Education that revealed allegations of a “culture of fear” in the workplace, amid claims that black staff members were victimised and discriminated against.

Seventy-two per cent of voting Unite members said that they were prepared to take industrial action consisting of strike action over workplace racism and repeated breaches of their collective agreements.

A Unite spokesperson said that as a trade union, UCU was at the forefront of fights for equality, collective agreements and safe working environments for its members.

“It is shameful, therefore, that as an employer UCU has overseen a culture of racism within its own workplace, imposed new working conditions on staff without agreement and continues to breach collective agreements with its staff union, Unite,” they added.

“UCU’s actions as an employer go against the core values of trade unionism that we and the rest of the trade union movement campaign for every single day."

UCU has also de-recognised Unite as the sole union for UCU staff.

Speaking anonymously, UCU employees previously told THE of their concerns about the lack of racial diversity in the union’s leadership. One worker said racism was an “open secret” at the trade union, with black women in particular feeling isolated and unwelcome.

With a turnout of 79 per cent, the Unite ballot also found that 78 per cent of members were willing to take industrial action short of a strike.

The spokesperson said the result was a call for “real change”, with members determined to bring about changes that are desperately needed.

“Unite members have today said enough is enough,” they added. “We are resolute in our demands for an anti-racist workplace, for UCU as an employer to honour its collective agreements with us and, for an independent investigation into how the organisation is run.”

A UCU spokesperson said the union was proud to offer its staff some of the best pay and conditions in the movement.

“We recognise that there are areas where we can improve and are actively working with Unite to address any issues of concern,” they added.

“We are pleased to have secured an upcoming meeting at Acas on 24 May to further facilitate this, and our absolute focus is on finding agreed solutions to this dispute as quickly as possible.”

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com