Our pensions victory shows 바카라사이트 power of industrial action

Last Friday saw 바카라사이트 successful conclusion to 바카라사이트 University and College Union¡¯s campaign to reverse 바카라사이트 changes to 바카라사이트 University¡¯s Superannuation Scheme (USS) pushed through by employers in 2022,?a reversal that vice-chancellors had claimed was impossible.

This is 바카라사이트 first time a UK union has reversed a pension cut of this magnitude and we have done it at 바카라사이트 biggest private pension scheme in 바카라사이트 country. It hasn¡¯t been easy. It has taken 69 days of strike action in a five-year battle, but we have defended our pensions. Within months, we will see 바카라사이트 full restitution of 바카라사이트 scheme and compensation for what has been lost since 바카라사이트 cuts were made. It has been a startling success for collective action and 바카라사이트 trade union movement, and UCU members should be immensely proud of what 바카라사이트y have achieved.

UCU members have forced 바카라사이트 reinstatement of 바카라사이트 accrual rate to its pre-2022 level, raised 바카라사이트 defined-benefit threshold to above its previous level and removed 바카라사이트 hard cap of 2.5 per cent on 바카라사이트 annual inflationary uplift of that threshold,?which failed?to?effectively protect members š?pensions against inflation. The changes are worth around an additional ?15-?17 billion to USS members. An additional ?900 million will also be used to help make good 바카라사이트 money that members have lost since 바카라사이트 cuts came in.

All this has been won by university staff who told us and 바카라사이트ir employers that 바카라사이트y had had enough. Enough not just of pinched pensions, but of deep real-terms pay cuts and 바카라사이트 endemic precarious employment practices that have defined 바카라사이트 past decade in higher education. The issue of pensions doesn¡¯t stand in isolation from 바카라사이트 ongoing struggle to improve our members š pay and conditions ¨C both are part of 바카라사이트 same picture.

As someone who worked as a university lecturer until recently, I know that pensions aren¡¯t a gift from employers. They are our well-earned deferred wages. Cuts to retirement income accompanied by 바카라사이트 continuing degradation of pay?¨C?an estimated real-terms cut of 30 per cent over 바카라사이트 past 14 years?¨C?constituted a sustained, two-pronged attack on 바카라사이트 incomes of our members.

That is not just bad employment practice, it is counter-productive?in terms of?바카라사이트 real interests of 바카라사이트 sector. The higher education system is that rare thing in 바카라사이트 UK: something that actually is world class, not just labelled as such by boosterish politicians. But its value is encapsulated not in shiny new buildings, nor in 바카라사이트 strategising of supposedly stellar vice-chancellors but in 바카라사이트 knowledge, talent, determination and commitment to education of 바카라사이트 people who work within it.?

The sector¡¯s financial performance is strong. This year, UK universities had a total income of ?44.6 billion, ?3.5 billion up on 바카라사이트 previous year, 바카라사이트 biggest year-on-year increase in at least five years. There is a of ?2.6 billion, 바카라사이트 highest it has been for at least four years. Cash and current investment holdings are at , ?1.3 billion more than last year. But staff expenditure is just 51 per cent of income, a record low. That doesn¡¯t make sense to us or our members, which is why 바카라사이트y have supported such a sustained course of industrial action.

The fight does not end here. UCU members have until 31 October to make sure 바카라사이트ir vote is counted in 바카라사이트 pay and conditions postal ballot. Indeed, tens of thousands of our members have already cast 바카라사이트ir ¡°yes¡± votes to renew 바카라사이트 mandate for industrial action, which has been so successfully proven to work in 바카라사이트 USS dispute. This will allow us to continue to fight. It is our chance to win a fair pay rise, roll back casualisation, return workloads to sustainable levels and end pay inequalities. There is so much at stake ¨C we need to force a reset and rebuild our higher education system so that it works for everyone. ??

We can do this. Our victory in 바카라사이트 pension dispute is proof that determined collective action works. We defeated 바카라사이트 injustice of imposed pension cuts: we can defeat 바카라사이트 injustice of a system that is making our members poorer by exploiting 바카라사이트ir goodwill?and passion for 바카라사이트ir students.?Vice-chancellors told us to stop striking, that we were asking 바카라사이트 impossible, but we have proved 바카라사이트m wrong. We won¡¯t stop here. Now that we have won back our pensions, we must win on pay, on workloads and on job security.

This past year has shown us that it is only 바카라사이트 threat and use of industrial action that can focus 바카라사이트 minds of our employers. It has been a hard road that entailed huge sacrifices, yet we moved 바카라사이트 employers more than 바카라사이트y have ever moved before on pay and conditions, even if it wasn¡¯t far enough. Our members are once again voting yes because 바카라사이트y know this is how we win.

This is how we bring employers back to 바카라사이트 table to settle this dispute as soon as possible ¨C an objective, I hope, that everybody in higher education can get behind.

Jo Grady is general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union.