Applying to the local strike fund

For all Branch members who had pay deducted because of participating in the Spring 2025 strike action, funds are available to help those in immediate financial hardship, and anyone who took industrial action is eligible to apply.

Please complete the hardship fund application form here Brunel UCU Strike Hardship Fund Application Form and send to the Branch Administrator (cmaxfield@ucu.org.uk) with:

-payslips showing pay deductions (final net salary should also be visible)

Your application will be considered by the hardship fund panel under the terms and criteria of the branch policy on strike hardship fund payments (please read the policy here Terms of Reference for the Brunel UCU Hardship Fund. There are three categories under which members can claim for support from the hardship fund:

1. Low pay
2. Insecure employment
3. Financial hardship

Please complete the attached application form, if one or more of these categories applies to your circumstances, and return by Monday 19th May 12:00.

Your application will be anonymised and considered by the branch hardship fund panel.
You will be informed by email as to the decision of the panel. If your application has been successful we will email you asking for bank details in order to make a payment.
Please note, members should not apply to the hardship fund in lieu of the national strike fund, but in addition to it: https://my.ucu.org.uk/app/answers/detail/a_id/429/~/ucu-fighting-fund. Applications for the national fund can be made here. The total amount paid out from both funds would not exceed total loss of pay incurred. In this round, Brunel UCU will aim to match the payments from the national fighting fund. If there are insufficient funds to pay all successful claims in full, then the available funds will be divided pro rata/proportionally amongst successful claimants.

Information included in your application will be treated with the strictest of confidence and will not be seen by anyone other than the branch administrator. Information is then anonymised before being passed to the members of the hardship fund panel.
If you have any questions about the application process, please contact: cmaxfield@ucu.org.uk
Lastly, a big thank you to all for your solidarity.

Donations to the Brunel UCU Local Strike Hardship Fund 

Brunel UCU is working on building up a local strike hardship fund, to help support our members who are taking action and who are placed in financial need as a consequence of employer deductions. This local fund is intended as a ‘top up’ to the national fighting fund, especially for our most vulnerable members on lower wages, precarious contracts and/or experiencing any form of financial hardship.

National UCU guidance on local hardship funds: ucu_branch-hardship-fund-guidance.pdf

By donating you support BUCU UCU members who wish to take action but who would struggle to do so without your help. We support each other to maximise our chances of winning, and of winning as quickly as possible. We thank those able to make a donation – no matter how small – for their display of solidarity and their message of support to our members. Your contribution makes our collective position stronger.

Please get in touch if you wish to make a donation, this will help with our auditing processes, but also because we would want to thank contributors! [cmaxfield@ucu.org.uk]