🤔 How do I go on strike?
Before the strike
👉 You don’t need to tell your manager or your team that you will be on strike (though you can coordinate with other branch members). Do not cancel or rearrange meetings that fall on strike days. The point of industrial action is to disrupt normal operations as much as possible.
👉 Decide with your colleagues whether you will form your own workplace picket line or join one of the existing pickets listed here: FAIR PAY 2025/26
On a strike day
👉 Do not do any work!
👉 Although not mandatory, there is a strong expectation that you will join us on the picket lines, especially if you intend to claim strike pay. You do not need to stay the whole time! People come and go for comfort breaks, food, or just to take a break. But it is vital we have a loud and visible presence and good coverage throughout the day.
👉 Come and collect placards, leaflets, and merch from the branch office (1D Priory Road, BS8 1TX)
👉 Make some noise!
After the strike
👉 Email industrial-action-response@bristol.ac.uk and CC your line manager confirming that you took part in industrial action and the days you were on strike. You also need to inform them whether you wish to maintain your pension contribution for the days you were on strike (we recommend that you do).
Example template for March dates:
Subject: Notification of industrial action
Body:
Hello,
I was on strike on 10/03 and 11/03.
I would like to maintain my pension contributions for these days.
Many thanks,
[Your name]
[Your school or division]
👉 Don’t make up for lost work on your strike days. Make sure colleagues who are not striking do not cover your work.
👉 Fill in the form to claim your strike pay (see below)
🫨 What should I bring?
Whistles, pots and pans, speakers, drinks, food and Unison paraphernalia and colours of purple and light green!
💵 Do we get strike pay?
Yes.
✊ Why are we striking?
The 25/26 1.4% pay increase is a real-terms pay cut of 3.2%.
University workers have not received a pay increase that matches inflation since 2009. If pay had matched inflation, salaries would currently be around 30% higher.
The current model is broken. The university sector needs reform – saving money by cutting staff pay cannot continue forever.
If we can demonstrate that we are an engaged, active, and strong union then we can force the university’s senior management to take staff demands seriously.
Industrial action strengthens our position in all negotiations.
🧠 What are we asking for?
As part of a national strike, our core demand is that set out by the Joint Higher Education Unions (JNCHES) during its negotiations with the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) in 2025:
An increase on all pay points of at least RPI (as at August 2025) + 3.5%, or a flat rate increase on each spine point of at least £2,500 (whichever is greater)
See: 250225_JNCHES_2025-26_heads_of_claim.pdf
We call on the university management to take this demand back to UCEA and reopen national negotiations with JNCHES.
If this demand cannot be met on a national level, we will pursue how to compensate for this real-terms pay cut locally. This may take the form of a ‘Bristol Weighting’, increased employer contributions to the default pension scheme, reducing existing spine point compression, or adding spine points to the top of grades.
More broadly, we endorse the motion passed at UNISON’s Higher Education conference on 29th January 2026, which reaffirms its “opposition to tuition fees and support for a publicly funded, joined-up HE system.”
✊ How can I get involved?
Join the Strike Action Group on Teams for updates and actions. Message a branch activist to be added to the group.
How can I donate to the branch industrial action fund?
🌚 What happens if I work nights?
On the Notice of Action provided to the university, the time of the strike is 00:01 to 23:59 on the specific dates. Workers who work night shifts would either have to walk out or come in late. If for instance you work on Monday 9th Feb 8pm-Tuesday10th Feb 8am, you will have to work 4 hours and then can walk out of your shift. If for instance you work on Thursday 12th Feb 8pm-Friday 13th Feb 8am, you will have to come in to work 4 hours late at midnight.
🫂 Can non-members join the picket line?
Yes! One of the points of a picket line is to raise awareness of our real-terms pay decrease and convince colleagues to join the industrial action by not crossing the picket line.
The Government says:
If non-union members go on strike, they are protected from dismissal and have the same rights as union members, as long as the industrial action is lawful.
From: If your business faces industrial action: Lawful industrial action – GOV.UK
What do we do about non-striking colleagues who want to ‘cross the picket’?
There is a long-established principle that colleagues who cross a striking picket to work are undermining the strikers cause and doing so in a way that disrespects the strike.
We strongly encourage you to chat and engage with non-striking colleagues to be considerate to the strike and not work on campus on the striking days, nor do any additional work that would otherwise fall to someone striking.
Similarly, as those participating in the strike, we respect that not all colleagues will have the same analysis and we respect their right to keep working. They should be treated politely whilst we discourage them from crossing the picket.
What is the point of striking?
We have more power together than we do when we are apart.
By coming together as a collective to and withdrawing our labor we demonstrate the essential role we play in the running of the University. By walking out together we show management that the University cannot function without us, and that we deserve fair pay that rises in relation to the cost of living.
Will the strike help?
The last time we took strike action in 2023, we saw the employer coming to the table to offer us better pay and conditions than we had before. The threat of a strike can strengthen our hand in further negotiations and the more people who participate in a strike together, the more effective it will be .
It is vital to our success that all members participate in the strike, whether or not they voted for strike action. Striking has helped the university recognize the mood of staff, the power of withdrawing our labour and bought us back into negotiations.
Do I need to tell my manager I am striking?
You do not need to tell your manager that you intend to strike. In fact, we would recommend you don’t so your actions can be more effective. However, we recognise everyone’s circumstances are different so do what is best for you.
Aren’t strikes just troublemaking and selfish?
Strikes have been covered negatively by the media for a long time, and that’s why many people now see them as unnecessary disruption and selfish troublemaking.
This is not the case.
If you work for a living, then trade unions, and the possibility of taking strike action, are your only way to push back against falling wages, worsening conditions and decreasing job security. That’s because, when you get together with your colleagues and show that your organisation cannot function without you, then you are demonstrating your value to your employer, and that they must offer you pay and conditions that are acceptable and sustainable.