FAIR PAY 2025/26 - University of Bristol UNISON

Key info

Our branch currently has a legal mandate for industrial action over the 2025-26 national pay offer of 1.4%.

We will be taking place in national days of action along with other Higher Education institutions in the first months of 2026.

For specific dates, refer to internal emails or contact a branch activist.

What Can I do right now?

If you haven’t already, JOIN UNISON.

Get ready for strike action by reading the FAQs

strike FAQ

Join the ACTION GROUP on Teams and help mobilise other members! Ask your workplace contact or a branch activist to add you to the group.

The story so far

The offer

Earlier this year, national negotiations took place between the joint higher education unions (JNCHES) and the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) on the 2025/26 pay round.

UCEA imposed a 1.4% increase on all pay points from 1 August 2025. With RPI inflation at 4.8% as of July 2025, this amounts to a 3.4% pay cut in real terms for staff.

As a result, In June and July, UoB branch members voted overwhelmingly to reject the offer. 95% voted reject on a 63% turnout.

The joint higher education unions (EIS, GMB, UCU, UNISON and Unite) have all consulted their members and agreed to reject the offer.

The Ballot

UNISON, along with UCU, Unite and EIS, ran a postal ballot for strike action over the 1.4% pay offer for higher education staff in 2025/6.

The ballot ran from 20th October until 28th November. As a branch member, you will have received a ballot in the post asking whether you support industrial action over the pay offer.

Our branch, national UNISON, and the four other unions involved in negotiations all recommended that members VOTE YES to strike action.

At UoB, 60% of members returned their ballot, and 93% voted YES for strike action:

This result sent a clear message to the university’s senior management that they can no longer continue to erode staff pay as an easy solution to financial difficulties.