University staff strikes are set to persist into September following the breakdown of negotiations with employers, as announced by the University and College Union (UCU).

The union disclosed plans for additional strike days along with the continuation of its marking boycott during the afternoon on Monday. Furthermore, the UCU indicated preparations for a fresh ballot seeking support for continued strike action into the upcoming academic year.

Last week, Education Minister Robert Halfon appealed to both employers and the UCU to resolve the ongoing dispute.

The specifics of the number of strike days and their scheduling will be confirmed at a later stage, according to the union.

The marking boycott, initiated in April across 145 universities, has led to disruptions in graduation ceremonies and left certain students without their grades. While the UCU stated that tens of thousands of students would be affected by the boycott throughout the summer, universities asserted that efforts were made to mitigate its impact.

In the event that negotiations with the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) do not resume, the UCU has signaled further disruptions in September. The union also intends to circulate a renewed ballot among its members to extend the six-month mandate for industrial action, expiring at the start of October. Should members vote in favor, strikes could extend well into 2024.

UCU General Secretary Jo Grady remarked, "Despite its global standing, the UK higher education sector is plagued by casualization, insecurity, and low wages - our members have no alternative but to advocate for their rights."

In response to the government's communication on Sunday, UCEA Chief Executive Raj Jethwa conveyed that employers remained engaged in discussions with the union to seek an "urgent resolution" to the dispute. He referred to a recent UCEA survey indicating that most universities had remained unaffected by the marking boycott, although acknowledging this provided "little comfort" to students. Jethwa added, "This form of industrial action, particularly detrimental to students during this period, has been profoundly disappointing." Photo by Alarichall, Wikimedia commons.