Here's info on claiming from the national and local fighting funds
If you are in financial need as a result of industrial action you can and should claim for support from UCU’s national Fighting Fund in the first instance: https://my.ucu.org.uk/app/fighting_fund
(you may need to log-in/confirm your details)
You can access the national fund after 2 days of action, for the following 8 days.
You then need to be on strike for a further 10 days, after which there is a further 7 days’ access.
Rates are £50 per day for salary above £30k, £75 below.
Northumbria UCU Local Fighting Fund: Policies and Procedures
Like other branches, Northumbria UCU branch has created a local fund for all staff, but especially prioritises those for whom the loss of income due to strike action would have an exceptional, immediate, and drastic impact on their household budget. This fund is made up from your local monthly membership subscription levy, and donations from members and other branches, and therefore has to be managed and distributed with care. As with the national fund, rates are £50 per day for salary above £30k, £75 below. Discretionary awards can be considered by the fund committee in special circumstances.
This document sets out the policies and procedures that will be implemented for claiming money from the local fighting fund in sustainable, equitable, and transparent ways that mean as many people as possible can access and benefit from it.
- Anyone claiming assistance through the local fund must be a member of the UCU.
- Anyone claiming assistance through the local fund must have taken strike action.
- Anyone claiming assistance through the local fund must not have claimed from the national fund for the same period (i.e. ‘double claiming’ for the loss of earnings)
- Claims should be based on net loss of earnings (i.e. after tax, NI and pension deductions), which can be calculated from previous payslips.
- All payments will be made by BACS. This is a condition of our bank and cannot be changed by the branch – cash cannot be issued.
- All claims will be assessed by a local fund committee to ensure compliance with national guidelines.
Evidence of loss of earnings
We cannot expect everyone to wait until their payslips show a deduction of earnings, as this will delay payment unnecessarily. Therefore, we propose the following:
- Evidence for the strike dates should be sent to the Branch Chair, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please also include your BACS details AND MEMBERSHIP NUMBER for payment.
Evidence can include:
- A copy of the email sent by HR confirming notification of strike action.
- If this wasn’t sent, an email/signed letter by a UCU Rep in your Faculty or confirming that you did not work on the strike day, as well as a copy of your contract, timetable or letter of appointment (please see template letter, also attached to this email).
Members who receive regular payslips each month must send evidence of these to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. on the day that the payslip becomes available showing deductions. This ensures that the branch is compliant with all auditing procedures.
Loss of all earnings in one day
Everyone can claim from the national (first) and the local fund. We recognise that for hourly-paid staff, however, it is common that an entire teaching load – and therefore all earnings or losses – can occur in a single day. In such cases, higher claims can be made. Please be aware that at moments of high or intense demand, that cap may be subject to review and reduction.
Task-based work completed outwith the strike
Many staff on hourly paid contracts will have task work allocated over a number of weeks. E.G., marking work may be disaggregated over three weeks, although you might complete it all in a shorter period. Our advice on this matter is: if you have completed tasks that are allocated on your workload, you should claim for your hours as normal. Because the work has been completed outwith the strike you’re entitled to payment for this work.
If you are in a situation where your tasks have been re-allocated (e.g. the module leader is not on strike and chooses to complete the marking themselves), this will fall under lost earnings and is therefore eligible for payment from the local fund. We will require a screenshot of your workload allocation, along with a signed letter from a local rep.
The branch might ask (retrospectively and only if necessary) for documents that enable the local fund committee to properly quantify the losses incurred by staff. This will be communicated in writing at a date following the conclusion of action.
