The University is set to recognise the University and College Union (UCU) after years of being the only one of Britain’s 150 public universities not to do so formally.

Both the University and the UCU have reached an advanced stage in discussions and are now waiting for the ratification of their agreement by various bodies.

The Times Higher Education supplement reports that personnel changes among senior managers helped to achieve the change to the University’s stance. Previously, they argued that internal committees gave staff democratic channels to be adequately represented.

The UCU argue that the lack of an official right to be consulted in negotiations about pay and working conditions hindered the ability of academic staff to advocate for improvements. However, the UCU was often consulted informally.

The president of the Cambridge branch of the Union said formal recognition will “open a lot more doors”, citing that caseworkers and officers will be given time to work on union business during their working day, instead of having to use their free time.

The Cambridge UCU branch recently voted in favour of fresh strikes that would fall over the summer assessment period. However, they failed to reach the 50% turnout required for the action to go ahead. 

It is hoped that recognition may help improve relations between the two sides.