The joint higher education unions (EIS, GMB, UCU, UNISON and Unite) all consulted their respective memberships on UCEA’s 1.4% pay offer for 2025/26. The response across the board was clear: members in each union are united in rejecting the offer in the strongest possible terms. 

The UNISON Higher Education Service Group Executive (HESGE) has decided to run a disaggregated ballot of members in those universities covered by the New JNCHES pay bargaining arrangements (other than in a small number of branches where we have limited membership).

The ballot will be for strike action alone and will run from mid October to the end of November.

The other unions, including UCU will be running a ballot on a similar timeline with the aim that any action agreed by the higher education unions will be organised jointly.

The joint unions have written to UCEA calling on them to re-open negotiations and to improve the pay offer to higher education staff and have issued a joint statement.

First published: 17 September 2025

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Read the joint statement from the higher education unions

Read the final offer from UCEA