The national University and Colleges Union (UCU) has notified Canterbury Christ Church University that it has invited its members to participate in further strike action during February and March
Update (20/02/2023) - UCU pause strike action
The University and College Union (UCU) has announced a two week pause to their strike action while further national negotiations are taking place.
This means the planned strikes on Tuesday 21, Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 February this week and Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 February and Wednesday 1 and Thursday 2 March have been cancelled.
All timetabled teaching and learning sessions will run as normal during this period. Any queries please contact your Course Team.
The next dates are as follows:
- Wednesday 15 - Friday 17 March
- Monday 20 - Wednesday 22 March
We are sorry that industrial action has been called as part of an ongoing national dispute but recognise that the decision to vote to strike is not taken lightly and respect colleagues’ right to do so.
Negotiations are continuing between the national bodies in an attempt to resolve the dispute. At a local level we have recognised the effect of the current cost-of-living crisis on colleagues and have taken our own measures that have included additional remuneration. However, decisions on pay and pensions are taken by university-wide UK bodies, which means it is not something we can resolve locally at Christ Church.
Our priority remains the education and wellbeing of our students, and we are committed to minimising any disruption to your learning.
What does this mean for you?
The University will remain open and you should attend your scheduled teaching sessions as planned, unless you are informed that it has been cancelled. We expect that the majority of staff in most departments will not be taking part in the strike and in some departments there will be no disruption at all.
Although we are encouraging staff to let students know if teaching sessions will be cancelled, under UK law, staff do not have to tell us if they are planning to take part in strike action before doing so. So, please be aware that unfortunately, you may not know until you arrive if you will be affected.
A range of measures will be used to make up for any cancelled teaching, ensuring you meet your learning outcomes, feel prepared for your assessments and are able to progress in your studies. Any student who incurs travel or childcare costs on a day of strike action, and the scheduled teaching for that day is cancelled with no prior warning, will be reimbursed.
How to keep up to date
We have created a Frequently Asked Questions webpage for students, which provides further details and will be updated with the latest information. Please also regularly check your University email and Blackboards for any updates.
If you have any concerns about your learning, please do not hesitate to talk to your Personal Academic Tutor or Course team.