Joint University and DUCU proposals approved by Court: VR could return and no more strikes for 2026 tabled

The University and DUCU proposal was approved by Court and outlines how the University will achieve ‘organisational stability, support recovery and rebuild confidence”.

In an email to students Angela Scott, the new Principal of the University, announced the approval of the proposal by Court and sets out that the proposal is still yet to be approved by DUCU membership, which is expected to vote this Thursday.

The proposal covers many areas but key among them is the introduction of another Voluntary Redundancy scheme called the ‘enhanced VR offer’ or VR2. This will be available to academic staff currently in at-risk pools.

VR2 offers a six month notice period that staff must work for rather than 12 and aims for staff to exit in June 2027. Academic colleagues outside the at-risk pools may also show interest in applying to the scheme, which will then be reviewed by the University.

On the webpage it says that the “objective is to remove the requirement for compulsory redundancies through redeployment or voluntary redundancies if possible.”

The proposal goes on to talk about future industrial action from DUCU, with a moratorium on future institution-wide workforce reduction programmes. It sets out that there would be a commitment from DUCU that there is to be no further strikes for the rest of 2026.

The proposal also says that “upon conclusion of this organisational restructure, the University will implement a moratorium on any further institution-wide voluntary redundancy or compulsory redundancy programmes until August 2028.”

This would mean there would be no institution-wide CR or VR schemes for almost two years, if this proposal is approved by DUCU.

DUCU would also not initiate, support, endorse or pursue industrial action relating to institution-wide voluntary redundancy or compulsory redundancy programmes until August 2028.

The proposal also states that DUCU would withdraw the proposed judicial review they were seeking. Which to date has accrued crowd funding support of over £3000.

If the proposal is approved by DUCU membership then the University would hope to launch the VR2 scheme on the 18^th or 19^th of November, with confirmation of the outcome for VR2 coming at the end of the year.

The email from Principal Scott ends by saying “I recognise this has been a difficult and prolonged period for many colleagues. Thank you for your continued professionalism and commitment to our students, colleagues and the University.”