“THE game has changed,” University and College Union (UCU) leader Jo Grady warned universities yesterday as she announced that members have voted to take national strike action over pay, job security and pensions.

The union smashed Tory ballot thresholds in both disputes subject to a national ballot.

“The UCU has become the first union in the education sector to win a national ballot since the introduction of the anti-trade union laws in 2016,” Ms Grady announced at a special press conference at the union’s London HQ.

“Employers, you have come for us on a co-ordinated basis for years now and we have bravely fought you off, university by university.

“Now we will take you on as a collective, 150 vice-chancellors versus 70,000 UCU members. You have a small window now to reach an agreement with our union. If you do not take this opportunity, we will bring every university in the UK to a complete standstill.”

Ms Grady told the Morning Star that while members had been in disputes over pay and pensions for some time, a mandate to take on every employer in the UK at once would make a huge difference — especially with other education unions also involved in national strike ballots.

In response to a query from the Financial Times as to whether a national ballot was appropriate when universities were in different financial positions, she said the union had no choice but to take nationwide action, pointing out that universities had tried to impose a pay settlement nationally through the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA).

The UCU wants a pay rise of 12 per cent, or the retail price index rate of inflation plus 2 per cent, and a plan to eliminate zero-hours contracts.

It also demands the reversal of pension scheme cuts imposed in 2021, which it says will cost members 35 per cent of their retirement income.

UCU members voted by 30,769 to 7,153 for strikes over pay, workloads and zero-hours contracts – an 81.1 per cent Yes result on a 57.8 per cent turnout – and by 24,239 to 4,319 to strike over cuts to the national pension scheme, an 84.9 per cent Yes on a 60.2 per cent turnout.

UCEA chief executive Raj Jethwa said that he was disappointed with the result and claimed that pay rises could cost jobs.