As many students and colleagues will be aware, the University and College Union (UCU) announced on 29 January that its members had voted to strike in response to proposed changes to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) pension scheme.

This action will begin on Thursday 22 February for a four-week period.

• Thursday 22 and Friday 23 February
• Monday 26, Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 February
• Monday 5, Tuesday 6, Wednesday 7 and Thursday 8 March
• Monday 12, Tuesday 13, Wednesday 14, Thursday 15 and Friday 16 March

Action short of a strike will also begin on 22 February and continue to 19 June 2018.

In the next few days, there will be further information for staff and students on what the University is seeking to put in place to ensure continued academic progression and a positive student experience for all our students during this period. There will also be guidance for heads of academic and service departments on managing departmental commitments, and guidance and procedures for individuals planning to undertake strike action and action short of a strike. If you have immediate queries before we share this guidance, please email academic dot continuity at warwick dot ac dot uk.

Background

Details of UCU’s position on this matter are shared at on the UCU webpages. There is also further information on the proposed pension scheme changes which has been shared with USS members at Warwick.

In the last few months, Stuart Croft, the Vice-Chancellor, has sought to engage the employer representative body Universities UK (UUK) on this matter and give his recommendations in a letter, and he has shared his concerns publicly on the VC’s blog.