As you may be aware, UCU’s higher education committee (HEC) backed a ballot on pay in December 2024, which was expected to take place early in the year, aiming to take industrial action before Easter. The HE officers (who are the elected group who agree the ballot timeline) met just before the Christmas 2024 break. At that meeting the HE officers decided that the ballot timeframe agreed by the HEC was not capable of implementation, and new options for the ballot timetable and other campaign activities should be put to the HEC so that they could determine what the timeline would be. This will take place at a special HEC meeting which has been called for Wednesday 19 February 2025. Therefore, any ballot will take place later in the spring.

If you or your branch has comments about the ballot, please do get in touch with your HEC representatives. You can find details of how to contact them here .