Industrial action information for staff

General information

Which trade unions are taking industrial action?

The Sheffield University and College Union (UCU) has asked its members to take industrial action over the risk of compulsory redundancies at the University. 

The current mandate for UCU action began on 30 September and will be in place for six months.

Unite and UNISON are not party to this dispute, and are therefore not participating in this action.

What is the dispute about and what has the University done to try to avoid industrial action?

The University and College Union (UCU) Sheffield branch is taking industrial action over the risk of compulsory redundancies at the University. 

Prior to the industrial action beginning and during the first week, we were in regular discussions with UCU to try to find a resolution to their dispute. The University made four offers with a view to ending industrial action called by UCU. Three offers were made before UCU commenced strike action and one offer after the first three days of action had taken place. Unfortunately, UCU members did not accept these offers.

An overview of the offers we have made to UCU, and copies of the offers in full, are available for colleagues to view in Google Drive.

Whilst we were not able to come to an agreement with UCU, we remain committed to working with them to build a sustainable future for the University. 

As we navigate this period of uncertainty and change in higher education, we have a responsibility to ensure we deliver the best possible experience for our students whilst operating in a financially balanced and stable way. Like many other universities, we are doing this by making changes, for example to our structures, staffing, and programmes. We are also striving to achieve savings through voluntary means and, to date, we have made no compulsory redundancies.

About industrial action

Who can take part in the industrial action?

Where a mandate for industrial action is obtained and a trade union calls on its members to take industrial action, those trade union members who were balloted are able to participate in industrial action. It is also possible for staff who choose to join that trade union after the ballot to take part in the industrial action.

Trade union members from unions which do not have a mandate for action, or which are not calling on their members to take industrial action, cannot participate in industrial action.

What is action short of a strike (ASOS)?

ASOS is when trade union members engage in an action that falls short of a full withdrawal of labour, sometimes known as partial performance of the contractual duties.

This can take many forms including a refusal to carry out specific duties or responsibilities.

UCU continues to ask its members to take continuous action short of strike in the following forms:

• Not covering for absent colleagues, vacant posts, or posts that are discontinued due to change management
• Not rescheduling lectures or classes cancelled as a result of strike action
• Not sharing materials relating to lectures or classes cancelled as a result of strike action
• Not undertaking any voluntary activities
• Not undertaking duties which are not commensurate with the grade of the post
• Not using personal devices to conduct work

The trade union is required to give the University two weeks' notice if they change the forms of ASOS members will take.

What is a picket line? Can I cross it? 

During strike action, it is possible that picket lines of striking staff might be present around the University campus outside various buildings. Picketing is a lawful activity where staff who support the strike stand outside their place of work to inform other staff members why they are striking. Pickets should only include individuals who are employed by the University and trade union officials. Picketing should be undertaken peacefully and it must not prevent those who are not striking from going  to work or from continuing doing their usual work. 

UCU has developed guidance on picketing which you may find helpful to review: UCU guidance for branches on picketing

What to do if you want to participate in industrial action

Who should I inform if participated in industrial action?

If you participate in the strike action, you must complete a strike notification form.

You must complete and submit the notification form at the first opportunity/on the first day when you return to work following your participation in strike action.

It will be assumed that individuals who have participated in strike action will also be participating in action short of strike. This does not mean that pay deductions will automatically be taken. If you participated in strike action, but are not participating in ASOS, please let Human Resources know at industrial.action@sheffield.ac.uk

If you did not participate in strike action, but are participating in ASOS, you are required to complete our action short of a strike notification form by the end of each week that you participate in ASOS. Please make sure you click submit.

What work should I prioritise following the industrial action?

Our aim during industrial action is to minimise the impact on students. For this reason, staff are expected to prioritise student-facing activities. If colleagues are unsure, they should seek advice from their School Executive Team. 

I am not taking part in the industrial action and have been asked by my manager to cover for a colleague who is taking industrial action, is this ok?

During industrial action, all staff are asked to prioritise student-facing activities and those disrupted by strike action, which may mean departments may require flexibility in what work is undertaken to enable this. You should only be asked to undertake any duties which are grade appropriate, and for which you are suitably skilled and/or trained. Your manager should ensure that you are aware of what work to prioritise and de-prioritise. There may be situations where your manager seeks a level of flexibility in terms of covering duties which fall outside of your normal role. If you or your manager are unsure what may be deemed reasonable, you are advised to seek HR support.

We are aware that UCU are asking staff who do not participate in strike action to not support with the replacement of lost learning or other activities disrupted as a result of others’ participation in the action. It is reasonable for managers to ask for flexibility as outlined above and so staff not participating in industrial action are expected to follow reasonable management instructions. Staff who do not do this may be considered as participating in the industrial action in the form of ASOS, and will be subject to the process for recording participation and pay deductions.

Can my Head of School ask me to carry out work that was not carried out due to my participation in strike action?

Yes, it is a reasonable management instruction to require staff who have taken strike action or are participating in ASOS to reschedule and teach sessions cancelled or replace other work disrupted due to strike action. Managers will be clear with you what work should be prioritised and de-prioritised.

Can my Head of School ask me to carry out work that is covered by action short of a strike?

Yes, it is a reasonable management request for your Head of Department (or line manager) to ask you to do work that is covered by UCU’s ASOS. If you are refusing to do this work because you are taking action short of strike, you must tell your Head of Department (or line manager) when asked.

Can I work from home or take annual leave during industrial action?

We are aware that many staff are utilising a hybrid working approach, so may already be doing some work from home. However, we wish to ensure that there is adequate cover during periods of industrial action so that we can maintain services as much as possible, provide adequate support for students, and reduce any possible impacts on learning and education. Therefore, requests to work from home or to take annual leave might not be agreed during periods of industrial action unless it is a contractually agreed  working pattern or in exceptional circumstances.

We acknowledge that there will be circumstances where such requests can, and should, be agreed, and this is not intended to be a blanket ban on people taking time off or working flexibly. Please speak to your manager to determine what will be possible.

Note: If agreements were made before the University received the notification of strike action from the trade unions, we expect these agreements to be honoured.

I am participating in action short of strike, and I cannot log in to my University account without using the Duo app on my personal mobile phone. Is there an alternative way to login?

Yes, you can get an MFA hardware token from IT Services, available from the Computing Centre on Hounsfield Road. 

Impacts on pay, pensions and deductions

What will be the impact on my pay if I take part in strike action?

Participation in strike action will result in a breach of your contract of employment. Consequently, if you choose to take strike action you will have a day’s pay deducted for each day that you are striking. If you choose to take strike action you are required to complete the strike notification form on each non-striking day. The daily rate of pay for calculating pay deductions will be deemed to be 1/365th of the full time equivalent salary, pro-rated for part time staff whose working pattern includes part-day working on strike days. Graduate Teaching Assistants who take action will not be paid for any of the hours of work they were scheduled to undertake.

The University’s principles and approach to pay deductions can be found online. 

How will strike pay deductions appear on my payslip?

Your payslip will show a deduction for the total days of industrial action that will be processed in that month. The deduction will appear coded as either:

• ‘Strike pay adj’ - Strike pay deductions where you have requested that pension contributions are maintained.
• ‘Strike pay TNP’ - Strike pay deductions where you have requested that pension contributions are not maintained.

What happens to pay withheld from staff participating in industrial action?

Pay deducted from those taking industrial action will remain in School/departmental budgets. 

What will be the impact on pay if I take action short of a strike?

The University has a long-standing policy position on ASOS and does not accept partial performance of contracts of employment. Where participation in ASOS constitutes a breach of contract, the University reserves the right to deduct pay and to withhold up to 100 per cent of pay from staff not fulfilling all express and implied terms of their contracts. Our approach to ASOS is motivated by the interests of our students and our desire to minimise the impact of industrial action upon them - as outlined in our principles and approach to industrial action. 

In line with our policy on partial performance, pay deductions and our position on lost learning, we will withhold 100 per cent of pay from staff participating in the following form of ASOS that UCU has called on members to undertake: not rescheduling lectures or classes cancelled as a result of strike action. The process for how this will be managed is detailed below.

At this time, the other forms of ASOS UCU is asking its members to take will not attract pay deductions as we consider their impact will not constitute a breach of contract of employment. The University will continue to review the impact of other forms of ASOS during this period of industrial action and, if this position changes, we will inform you ahead of any change of position on pay deductions.

How will ASOS pay deductions be processed?

Where there is no evidence that satisfactory arrangements (as determined by the Head of School and/or School Director of Education) for replacing the lost learning have been submitted by the deadline of 12 noon 19 December 2025, we will conclude that the individual who is responsible for the lost learning to be replaced is participating in action short of strike, and could be subject to having pay withheld.

100 per cent of pay will be withheld from 5 January until 16 January 2026 inclusive in the first instance if there continues to be no evidence provided that lost learning will be satisfactorily replaced by 7 February 2026 or ahead of any assessment which relies on the learning, whichever is earliest.

If, at the end of 16 January 2026 it is clear that plans for replacing lost learning are still not in place, then pay deductions will continue until such time as there is evidence that the learning is replaced to the satisfaction of the University.

No deductions will be made in respect of the above elements of ASOS if the relevant colleague provides satisfactory plans that outline the arrangement for the replacement of all lost learning before noon on 19 December 2025 that either the lost learning has been replaced or plans are in place to deliver the lost learning before 7 February 2026, or ahead of any assessment which relies on the learning, whichever is earliest. If it later becomes apparent that the planned replacement activity has not taken place, then deductions will commence immediately and will continue until the point at which the lost learning has been satisfactorily replaced.

Heads of School will make Human Resources aware of anyone who has not provided evidence that satisfactory arrangements are in place to replace lost learning. Human Resources will email each person who is participating in the ASOS by refusing to replace lost learning to confirm that pay is due to be withheld, when it will be withheld, and to clarify the impact on pension contributions.

Any work that individuals do whilst pay is being withheld, whether in the University, at home, or elsewhere, will be voluntary on their part. You will not be allocated any other work.

If I took strike action, but agree to replace lost learning, will I be paid for doing so?

Yes. Where satisfactory arrangements (as determined by the Head of School and/or School Director of Education) for replacing the lost learning have been made, and you deliver the replacement learning, you will be paid as normal. Your Head of School will also provide guidance on what work should be deprioritised to provide you with time to undertake this replacement learning.

What is the University’s approach to lost learning?

The University’s position is that all learning lost due to industrial action must be replaced and that a failure to do so constitutes a breach of contract, which aligns with the Office for Students (OfS) expectations for institutions during industrial action, which we must adhere to. These expectations include:

• prioritise the delivery of education when implementing contingency plans – in the first place, avoiding any impact on students; 

• where this cannot be done, mitigating the impact on students through delivery of education with as few changes as possible; 

• where this cannot be done, timely repeat performance of any missed or significantly disrupted teaching, assessment, or other promised aspects of students’ experience.

If you have taken strike action that has resulted in lectures or classes being cancelled, your Head of School will notify you. You will be required to:

• Provide satisfactory plans that outline the arrangement for the replacement of all lost learning (or evidence that it has already been replaced) to your Head of School and School Director of Education by 12 noon on 19 December 2025 at the latest detailing the time, format and communication to students of the replaced learning 

• Schedule and deliver replacement learning to the satisfaction of your Head of School by 7 February 2026 or ahead of any assessment which relies on the learning, whichever is earliest. Replacement learning must not be scheduled during the published vacation period. 

Where there is no evidence that satisfactory arrangements (as determined by the Head of School and/or School Director of Education) for replacing the lost learning have been submitted by the deadline of 19 December 2025, we will deduct pay from the individual who is responsible for the lost teaching to be replaced.

100 per cent of pay will be withheld from 5 January until 16 January 2026 inclusive in the first instance if there is no evidence that lost learning will be satisfactorily replaced by 7 February 2026 or ahead of any assessment which relies on the learning, whichever is earliest. 

If, at the end of 16 January 2026 it is clear that plans for replacing lost learning are still not in place, then pay deductions will continue until such time as there is evidence that the learning is replaced to the satisfaction of the University.

No deductions will be made in respect of the above elements of ASOS if the relevant colleague provides satisfactory plans that outline the arrangement for the replacement of all lost learning before noon on 19 December 2025 that either the lost learning has been replaced or plans are in place to deliver the lost learning before 7 February 2026, or ahead of any assessment which relies on the learning, whichever is earliest. If it later becomes apparent that the planned replacement activity has not taken place, then deductions will commence immediately and will continue until the point at which the lost learning has been satisfactorily replaced.

Heads of School will make Human Resources aware of anyone who has not provided evidence that satisfactory arrangements are in place to replace lost learning. Human Resources will email each person who is participating in the ASOS by refusing to replace lost learning to confirm that pay is due to be withheld, when it will be withheld, and to clarify the impact on pension contributions.

What is the impact on my other work if my pay is being withheld for participating in ASOS?

Any work that individuals do whilst pay is being withheld, whether in the University, at home, or elsewhere, will be voluntary on their part. You will not be allocated any other work.

I am a GTA/casual worker and I took part in the industrial action. What will be the impact on my pay?

Casual workers and GTAs who plan on withdrawing their labour in support of the industrial action will not be paid for any work missed on those days. 

GTAs and casual workers who participate in the industrial action should complete the strike notification form and should not claim hours that they had planned/been scheduled to work.

What will be the impact on my USS pension where pay deductions are applied?

The default position will be that the University will pay the employer’s contribution as though you have worked on each day of industrial action and will deduct any employee’s contributions you would normally pay (including any additional contributions), based on the full notional pensionable pay you would have earned had you not taken industrial action. This will mean USS membership will not be affected during the industrial action period.

If you do not want your normal USS pension contributions to be deducted, you must indicate this on your notification forms. Please note that in this situation, you will not accrue pension benefits for that period. 

We can confirm however that, for the period of the currently-stated days of industrial action, USS has put in place arrangements for death in service and ill health cover to remain in place where full contributions are not maintained.

Has an equality impact assessment been completed on the University's approach to withholding pay?

Yes, and it is available for all staff to view.

Visas

I’m an international member of staff. Will taking part in strike action have an impact on my Tier 2/Skilled Worker sponsorship?

Tier 2 and Skilled Worker visa holders will not be penalised for some absences from paid work in the UK, which includes engaging in legally-organised industrial action. This means that a Tier 2/Skilled Worker visa holder's leave to remain will not be affected if such absences cause their salary to fall below the required threshold. If a sponsored worker is absent because they are participating in industrial action which has not been legally organised, this will be considered as an unauthorised absence and can lead to failure to act in accordance with stated visa conditions.

I am an international staff member but I am not sponsored as a Tier 2/Skilled worker. Will taking part in strike action have an impact on my visa?

There is no specific impact on visa status for someone taking part in strike action. However, if you are extending your family visa or applying for indefinite leave to remain as the family member of a British/settled national, please be aware that the UKVI has eligibility criteria around proof of income. There are numerous ways this can be evidenced, including income from a partner or reliance on savings. The immigration rules and guidance do not permit any reduction to the income level that needs to be met on the grounds of taking part in strike action. We would recommend seeking independent legal advice if you are concerned as to how to provide evidence demonstrating that you meet relevant financial thresholds.

Further information about the required proof of income can be found on UK Visa and Immigration web pages.

Health, safety and wellbeing

How do you support staff during the industrial action?

During industrial action, your Head of School/Department, or their nominated deputy, should be in touch with information on action, and support for you. Please speak to them, or your immediate line manager, if you have any questions or concerns. You can also email industrial.action@sheffield.ac.uk

The staff wellbeing web pages offer a number of routes for general support.

Do we require a departmental health and safety representative and a trained first aider during strike action?

There is no legal requirement for a departmental health and safety representative. If your trained first aider is on strike or absent and your department requires first aid response, please call security control (ext 4444), who will provide first aid response as needed.

Learning and teaching

I plan to flip all my teaching online during strike days - is this okay?

Please speak to your Head of School in the first instance. Moving teaching online will depend upon the nature of the session, and for laboratory and practical sessions this may not be appropriate. With classroom-based teaching, we encourage Heads of School to take pragmatic decisions based on local circumstances.