Background
Higher education is in crisis. The combination of tuition fees, Brexit, declining international student numbers – exacerbated by the last government’s hostile environment towards immigration – and inflationary pressure has placed some universities in incredibly challenging circumstances.
Across the sector, we are seeing cuts and redundancies at an alarming rate, and UNISON members are feeling the devastating effects of closures, cutbacks, and withdrawal of services. Many UNISON branches and regions are running excellent campaigns in response to proposed cuts, and many more will be launching campaigns in the near future.
An estimated 70 institutions are reducing staffing numbers to cut costs. And even prior to the current situation, our members have seen their pay and conditions decline continuously for the past fourteen years. Since 2010, the pay our members receive has reduced by 28% in real terms, with an alarming 75% of our members telling us they are concerned about coping with the cost of living and affording necessities such as food, energy, and housing. The Office for Students expects that in 2025-26, 72% of universities could be spending more money than they have coming in.
UNISON’s campaign
The Higher Education Service Group is launching a national campaign called ‘Fund Our Future’. The campaign is calling for fundamental changes in the way HE is funded. We will be supporting branches in your local campaigns fighting cuts.
A range of campaign resources and initiatives will be available in the coming weeks and months. This will include national political activities, training, guidance and more.
Resources
This guide contains a range of advice, ideas and tips to help you in your campaigns to resist cuts.
Read: Guide to fighting HE cuts
This guide provides advice on getting your local MPs to support your campaigns.
Read: Guide to lobbying MPs
This comprehensive guidance gives advice on negotiating and bargaining when redundancies are proposed.
Read: Bargaining over collective redundancy
Share our graphics and assets on your channels to increase awareness of the campaign. You can download them via the online resource library.
View: online resource library
New items available to order – Fund Our Future stickers and pin badges.
Order on the UNISON shop
Join UNISON’s campaign
If your colleagues are not UNISON members, encourage them to join so they can get involved with the campaign. It only takes a few minutes to join online – together we are stronger.