This information is no longer current for the period of industrial action taking place in February/March 2023, please find up-to-date information here: https://goldsmithsucu.org/2023/02/08/accessing-financial-support-during-industrial-action-2023/
Information on accessing financial support during industrial action
If you have any queries about accessing financial support email: gucuhardshipfund@gmail.com
Below are details of the financial support available to members whose pay will be deducted for the duration of the upcoming strike action over the threat of job cuts at Goldsmiths.
Summary
Members can claim £50 or £75 per day from the national fund (depending on earnings), as well as up to £500 in total from our local fund. Evidence will be required, and members most in need of support will be prioritised. We have more discretion over our local fund but the level of support we will be able to provide depends on donations. Members should continue to promote the local fund to their contacts and networks: https://goldsmithsucu.org/donations/strikefund/
Details
There are 2 funds that members can access: the national fighting fund administered by our national union and the local strike fund at Goldsmiths There are slightly different criteria for each funds, and members can access both funds should they need to, however, no overall claim can exceed the amount of funds they have lost.
National Fund
Members can access the national fund only after deductions have been made, since evidence of loss in the form payslips must be provided. In addition:
- Payment will only be made from Day 4 of the strike action (i.e. not for first 3 days)
- The overall limit per claimant per dispute is set at 11 days
In order to make a claim to the national fighting fund you need to:
- Be paying subscriptions at the correct rate (if any subscription is payable)
- Have participated in official strike action for which UCU officers have agreed to make funds available
- Provide evidence of deduction from your salary or loss of earnings for strike action
Payment will be made:
- In the sum of £50 for members earning £30,000 gross or more per annum
- In the sum of up to £75 for members earning less than £30,000 gross per annum
More details and the application form can be found here:
https://my.ucu.org.uk/app/answers/detail/a_id/543
Local Fund
Members can access the local fund to top up loss of earnings up to £500 for the duration of the strike. You must also attach payslips to show loss of earnings and fill in a short application form. A 5-member Working Group including a branch officer, treasurers, a lay member and a casualised member will field applications. Members who are most in need will be prioritised. For those members who are in a position to not make a claim or make a lesser claim, please consider doing so. Please note: this procedure pertains to the 2021 industrial dispute. For instructions on how to access the local fund in the period of industrial action of February and March 2023, see here: https://goldsmithsucu.org/2023/02/08/accessing-financial-support-during-industrial-action-2023/
Given the scale of our dispute and duration of the strike, members will appreciate the importance of building up the local strike fund as much as possible. We encourage every single member to reach out to all your networks – friends, colleagues at other universities, other trade unions, community groups etc. – and ask for a donation to the strike fund. The more we spread the word, explain the severity of the attacks and the significance of our dispute, the more our members can feel confident about taking action. Donations can be made here: https://goldsmithsucu.org/donations/strikefund/