Last October Leeds members voted clearly to strike – 70% in favour – over casualisation, gender equality, workload and fair pay. But the anti-trade union law stopped us from striking, silencing our democratic voice as a union.

The turnout locally was 49%. It was the highest national turnout on a pay ballot in UCU’s history. But the law brought in by the government in 2016 requires a 50% turnout, while things which would make it easier for people to vote, online voting or workplace ballot boxes, it keeps illegal.

The government has no real interest in trade union democracy, it wants low turnouts so that trade unions don’t strike

We think members should decide what we do as a trade union, not the government. We’re re-balloting to exceed the 50% legal threshold so your decision counts.

Both the national and local elected committees are recommending that members vote vote YES to strike action and YES to action short of a strike because we think strike action is needed to make the national employers body take our concerns seriously. At the moment they are refusing to have meaningful talks on any of these issues at a national level.

However you vote, please use your vote. Don’t be silenced.

This page was last updated on 25 January 2019