The strike mandates at the University of Hertfordshire have been renewed for a further six months.

The University and College Union (UCU) told employers on Monday, April 3, that 'university staff are in the driving seat.'

In the pay and working condition ballot, the 'yes' vote for strike action was 85.6 per cent and the turnout was 56.4 per cent. In the pension ballot, the 'yes' vote for strike action was 89 per cent and the turnout was 58.4 per cent.

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Staff also voted 'yes' overwhelmingly for action short of strike in both ballots and UCU will now begin preparations to serve notice for a marking and assessment boycott. 

Today (Tuesday, April 4), UCU will also begin a consultation with its members over new proposals put forward by employers. 

The ballot results mean the union can call further strike action at 150 universities across the UK should university staff decide it is required. 

Employers made commitments to restore cuts made to pension benefits but have already begun implementing a pay offer of five to eight per cent, which was rejected by UCU and other campus unions.

Employers have also proposed time limited negotiations to reach agreements over casualisation, workloads and equality pay gaps.

Keith Seed, University of Hertfordshire's UCU representative, said: "Yesterday UCU became only the third union and the first education union to win multiple strike ballots, beating the draconian 2016 anti-trade union laws with a turnout of over 50 per cent.

All members will now be consulted on the offers made to us on pay. Lecturers have seen a 25 per cent cut in real pay since 2009.

                                                                                                        

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"Without improved offers, we’re facing a possible further 15 per cent cut by the end of next year. This would mean a real pay cut of 40 per cent in just 15 years.

"All this despite the university sector earning record incomes. Vice Chancellors earn on average over £300,000 themselves and have spent billions on capital expenditure projects like new buildings while letting lecturers’ real pay plummet.

"Yesterday’s vote by UCU members is our message to employers that enough is enough."