Tuesday 06-02-2018 - 13:36

The students’ union Executive met this week to discuss the 14 days of strike action from week 6 to 9, planned by UCU – the trade union representing academics and senior professional services staff – as part of a dispute over planned changes to pensions.

Lancaster University Students’ Union sympathises with the position of the UCU and their members, but in the best interests of our students we do not wish to see this action go ahead and believe all sides of the debate have a part to play in reducing the impact on our members’ education.

It was decided that we as your students’ union would take the position of supportive communication, in that we will endeavour to provide impartial information pertaining to both sides of the dispute, making sure that each of you are supported, empowered and informed enough to take your own stance on this matter. We understand that this is a big issue and there will be students on either side of the argument, therefore our priority is reducing the impact on your academia.

The most important thing for us is supporting the academic interests of Lancaster students which is why we believe it is essential that all parties agree to return to the negotiating table to seek a resolution, whilst minimising the impact on our students. Although those striking are not obliged to state it, we encourage professors, lecturers and students to maintain an open dialogue in order to maintain positive relationships.

We completely understand that this will cause many of you unease in regards to your studies, and we are here to offer information and advice to any students who have concerns. There is no such thing as an ‘invalid concern’ or a ‘silly question,’ no matter how small or big your worry is, we are here for you!

We will be putting up more information and tips on ways for you to potentially reduce the impact on your education, how you can get informed and act on your stance.

Frequently-asked questions

Need more information? Want to know what this means for you? Click the button below to see our frequently-asked questions page, which will be kept up to date throughout the dispute.

Frequently-asked questions

Useful contacts:

• Helpdesk at the students’ union: help@lancastersu.co.uk
• University support services: thebase@lancaster.ac.uk

Dates of planned strike action are:

• Thursday & Friday February 22 & 23 (two days)
• Monday to Wednesday February 26 to 28 (three days)
• Monday to Thursday March 5 to 8 (four days)
• Monday to Friday March 12 to 16 (five days)