UCU Derby has formally notified the university of our intention as a branch to take strike action, following a mandate from the membership.

This is in response to the exec’s failure to guarantee no compulsory redundancies or course closures during the 2025/26 academic year and their decision to move to make 260 people redundant.

The strike dates: Tuesday 2nd, Wednesday 3rd and Thursday 4th December 2025. 

But what does striking actually involve?

If you haven’t taken strike action before you might be nervous about taking this action. But, it is important to be clear that you have a legal right to take this action and that the University is legally prohibited from taking any action against you.

The University might not like the fact that we are striking (indeed that is the point), but they cannot stop us from doing it, nor take any action against us after the strike.

We are still engaging in meetings with the University’s management, so it may be that we can convince them to negotiate and stop the strike. But, if that doesn’t happen, here are some things to keep in mind.

• You do not have to tell anyone that you are planning to strike. The University has asked staff to tell them, but this is a request that you are under no obligation to comply with.
• You are free to talk to students about the strike action and why you are taking it either before or after the action. Striking is not a dirty secret or unprofessional. It is a normal part of working like. We are taking this action because we care about students, staff and the University.
• When you take strike action you should not come to work (other than to join the picket line) or do any work from home. Striking is about withdrawing our labour, not just about not being on campus.
• You will feel better if you join the picket line. Striking on your own can feel a bit lonely (although you are welcome to just take a day off and do something fun). But, it would be great if as many people as possible to join us on the picket lines. This will help you to feel connected to colleagues and show the University that we are serious.
• Picketing is fun. On the picket line we are making our strike visible. We will talk to each other, students, passers by and staff who are going in to work. It is a positive experience and something that you should try if you haven’t tried.
• You should tell the University when you are back at work. We are only striking for three days, so let’s make them count. When you are back at work you will be asked to confirm whether you were on strike. You should tell the truth when asked about this.

There is more information about striking in the UCU Derby briefing document. Note, this is an evolving document as the situation is developing quickly.