The academic trade union UCU will strike on March 12th, 13 th, 17 th, and 18 th at the University of Aberdeen. Strikes are a last resort for UCU and were agreed after a ballot of UCU members was passed with an overwhelming majority in early February. The UCU have three asks; meaningful staff and trade union consultation in the Adapting for Continued Success Programme, the reinstatement of academic promotions, and ruling out compulsory redundancies. 

During February’s Student Council, Student Councillors discussed and passed a motion supporting UCU’s asks and committed to lobby stakeholders involved to proactively and seriously engage in negotiations to reach a positive outcome for staff and students. The Students’ Union will host teach outs on Tuesday 17th and offer Union Brew as a space for conversation on Wednesday 18th between 10am and noon. 

We acknowledge that strikes are always disruptive but appreciate that UCU has taken measures to mitigate student impact by striking on different days of the week, to avoid affecting some courses disproportionally. 

We have put together some frequently asked questions and the answers for you as below: 

What is a strike? 

Strike action is when trade union members stop working to protest something at their workplace. Staff who take part in strike action are not paid for those days. 

Why are staff striking? 

Staff have raised concerns about the University’s Adapting for Continued Success programme, the possibility of compulsory redundancies, and the pause in academic promotions. 

What happens on strike day? 

Some staff may be on strike and there may be picket lines at campus entrances explaining why. Some classes may be cancelled, but many will still go ahead, so you should attend as normal unless you’ve been told otherwise. Note that staff members do not have to tell you if they are striking. 

What about assessments? 

You won’t be assessed on material you haven’t been taught. If you’re unsure about anything, speak to your lecturer or course coordinator. 

Please also read or watch the following resources for more information: 

UCU Strike FAQs

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Students' Union Policy Passed by Student Council