The unsustainable life of British Universities

Abstract

This article brings into question whether the Universitiy and College Union's current tactics employed for disputes against university management teams are fit for purpose. In a context in which the logic of neoliberalism dominates the Higher Education sector and the rights of workers to strike continue to be under threat, Universitiy and College Union needs to learn from the mistakes that have been made in the trade disputes of 2023, such as the national Marking and Assessment Boycott and strike action. This article does not seek to claim that Universitiy and College Union is no longer relevant. Instead, for Universitiy and College Union to move forward in a positive direction after a series of defeats, it needs to take stock of its ongoing internal issues regarding democratic accountability and transparency. Only when these are resolved can Universitiy and College Union be in a stronger position to negotiate better deals for its members.