- Education Secretary announces tougher action to stop unions
holding students to ransom
- A Minimum Service Levels consultation will consider stronger
protections for students during strike action
- These changes will balance the right to strike, whilst
ensuring students get a world class education
The Education Secretary has today announced a consultation to
introduce new Minimum Service Levels in universities in a bid to
protect students from being held to ransom by the University
College Union (UCU).
This year there have been 19 days of strike action held by the
UCU. The consultation into Minimum Service Levels (MSLs)
announced today is the first step to put in place stronger,
long-term protections that will ensure the next generation of
students have a brighter future.
The consultation will collect views on the types of approach this
should take. It is expected to lead to stronger protections for
final year students, key cohorts or those studying specialist
subjects. If introduced, they will ensure students get what they
pay for, protecting them from strike action by guaranteeing them
continued services such as teaching and marking their work during
walkouts.
The change builds on the Conservatives’ work to ensure students
get the best value for money and a good experience at university.
Reforms announced earlier this year cracked down on rip-off
degrees by making sure universities are accountable for how
students are progressing through their courses and what they will
earn after graduation.
Secretary of State for Education, , said:
"Unrelenting and unreasonable union strike action in universities
has meant too many students have missed out.
"The minimum service levels consultation is the first step in
ensuring students are better protected from strike action so they
get the world-class education they deserve.
"Whether it’s in our universities, hospitals or on the trains,
this Conservative Government is taking the long-term decisions
needed to ensure we all have a brighter future.
"Universities are just the most recent sector to be included in
the Conservative Government’s action to tackle the impact of
strike action that has caused significant disruption to hard
working people. With the Conservatives already taking proactive
action in other sectors such as health and transport.
MSLs will provide the right balance between the right of workers
to strike, whilst ensuring students get a world class
education. ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- In 2023 the UCU announced 19 days of strike action, seeking
an unreasonable and unaffordable pay settlement, as well as other
benefits. Whilst they suspended some of these days of actions,
they also introduced a Marking Assessment Boycott (link) which resulted
in some students being unable to graduate.
- The industrial dispute has been ongoing since 2018 and shows
no signs of abating. There have been strikes every year since
2018, and the UCU has begun balloting for another wave of
strikes.
- This is being driven by a hard-left element of the UCU who
will not settle. Groups such as UCU Left (link) are refusing
to settle and it is likely that strikes will continue for the
foreseeable future.
- Introducing MSLs in Higher Education would protect students
from strike action in Universities by guaranteeing them continued
services, teaching, and/or marking during the walkout period of a
strike.
