Industrial action resolved

I am writing to update you on the action short of a strike by members of the Universities & Colleges Union (UCU). The action has included a marking and assessment boycott, which means that some members of staff have not undertaken some of their contractual duties to mark and assess work.

The University has been working closely with Essex UCU to try to resolve the national pay and pensions industrial disputes locally.

I am very pleased to confirm that Essex UCU has accepted the University’s offer to resolve the disputes. This ends the action short of a strike with immediate effect, including the marking and assessment boycott.

Our focus throughout the boycott has been on ensuring that your results will be available to you as expected and, where you meet the requirements of your course, you are able to progress to the next stage of study or to graduate as expected.

I want to assure you that we continue to have a robust set of monitoring in place to manage any impact of the boycott to ensure that it will not affect you.

If for whatever reason you feel you need support, our Student Services Hubs continue to operate in-person, phone, email and live chat facilities and can provide information on our range of mental health and emotional support services. Our Students’ Union Advice service is also available for you.

We are committed to supporting you and to ensuring you have fair assessment outcomes.

Finally, I wish you all the best with your studies, and if you are due to graduate this summer, with your future plans. Thank you for your continued Essex Spirit.