Your one stop shop for the Trade Unions at Imperial College.
Update on industrial and strike action - autumn 2022 to summer 2023
Members of all three recognised unions at Imperial - UCU, Unison and Unite - have independently overwhelmingly voted to take strike action in response to the ongoing pay dispute with College - a 3.3% pay rise in the face of a 10%+ cost of living crisis.
The College management then imposed a 5.5% pay increase for 2023-24, again in the face of double-digit inflation across the economy, further widening the difference between pay and the rising cost of day-to-day survival. Members will be balloted on taking strike action on this new pay offer for 2023-24 in autumn 2023.
This equates to losing one month's pay every year, just for staying employed at Imperial.
Members of UCU and Unite both took part in strike action between November and May. Unison members joined from June onwards.
The next strike dates are:
Monday 2 and Tuesday 3 October - coinciding with Welcome Week and Freshers' Fair
Wednesday 18 October - coinciding with Commemoration Day 2023
The JTU and College Management have agreed to participate in ACAS-facilitated negotiations in order to find an appropriate resolution.
UCU action is mandated both locally and at the national level, with the national strike mandate including negotiations about the USS pension scheme and other working conditions.
Visit the different branch pages for specific details and updates about industrial action.
Download the pay dispute leaflet and slide deck for more information.
2023-24 pay claim submission from Joint Trade Unions
While we are still in dispute with the College about the 2022-23 pay award, we have also submitted our pay claim for the 2023-24 academic year.
We have requested a 10.5% increase, to be implemented from May 2023. This will do no more than maintain the value of median pay at Imperial since 2005.
Find out more
Results of strike ballot - spring 2023
All three unions at Imperial achieved the mandate to strike in a re-ballot in spring 2023, with Unison and UCU both also securing the mandate to take action short of a strike (ASOS).
These will be valid for six months on the completion of the ballot (until mid-October 2023).
*Minimum turnout of 50% for the ballot to have met the threshold for formal mandate
| Unite - strike action | Unison - strike action | Unison - ASOS | UCU - strike action | UCU - ASOS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnout (%)* | 64.18% | 50.68% | 50.68% | 54.10% | 54.10% |
| Yes votes (%) | 92.14% | 76.79% | 87.50% | 77.41% | 86.33% |
| No votes / spoiled ballots (%) | 7.86% | 23.21% | 12.50% | 22.59% | 13.67% |
