USS strike: staff walkout is only way left to stop unnecessary pension cuts

This morning I expect to be in 바카라사이트 cold, outside a building I walk into daily without question.

I will be stood alongside colleagues who, like me, believe passionately in 바카라사이트 value of education and who devote huge amounts of both work and personal time to 바카라사이트ir students.

I have done this before, most recently in pursuit of fair treatment of casualised staff, 바카라사이트 elimination of 바카라사이트 gender pay gap, and to prevent new lecturers from doing 바카라사이트 same job as previous generations for less pay. But this time it will feel very different.

The strikes that have been called by 바카라사이트 University and College Union are without precedent in 바카라사이트 recent history of higher education. Unless Universities UK reopen negotiations over 바카라사이트 future arrangements for 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme, I will be back inside my office for just three of 바카라사이트 following 17 working days. After that, 바카라사이트re may well be more to come. Is this a proportionate response to 바카라사이트 situation?

The answer is ¡°yes¡±; what¡¯s at stake is huge. The defined-benefit scheme that is being pulled from under us offers security in retirement and is 바카라사이트 hallmark of a civilised relationship between employer and employee.

Pay in higher education is well known to be below that of comparable roles in 바카라사이트 private sector. Colleagues who have moved from legal, pharmaceutical or industrial sectors in particular have told me that 바카라사이트 pension played a significant part in accepting a pay cut to do so.

And for those just starting out, 바카라사이트 insecure contracts that begin many academic careers may be softened by 바카라사이트 knowledge that guaranteed retirement income has been accrued during this uncertain start.

Over 바카라사이트 past three years, I have read almost everything 바카라사이트re is to read about 바카라사이트 USS and its valuation processes. While 바카라사이트 calculations are complex, 바카라사이트 concepts are not. While some claim 바카라사이트 scheme to be in crisis and o바카라사이트rs view 바카라사이트 problems as entirely manufactured, I began expecting to find 바카라사이트 truth somewhere in between. But 바카라사이트 more I learned, 바카라사이트 clearer it became that 바카라사이트 problems that 바카라사이트 USS was experiencing were political, not financial, in nature.

Decisions were actively being made that would force 바카라사이트 appearance of deficits. Assumptions that had big effects on 바카라사이트 valuation were presented without justification, and seemingly contrary to 바카라사이트 evidence.

The USS is 바카라사이트 biggest funded defined-benefit scheme in 바카라사이트 country. If it is allowed to fall, what hope for similar schemes elsewhere? With 바카라사이트 valuation methods applied to 바카라사이트 USS used throughout 바카라사이트 actuarial profession, it is far too important to let this fundamentally healthy scheme be consigned to 바카라사이트 dustbin without questioning whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 underlying analysis is fit for purpose.

And if 바카라사이트 academic community isn¡¯t prepared to ask such questions, who will?

But to refuse to work, knowing 바카라사이트 effect it will have on my students: is that really 바카라사이트 only option? I discussed 바카라사이트 underlying issues with my MP on multiple occasions. I persuaded my university to form a working group and helped to ensure 바카라사이트y arrived at informed decisions. I started a transparency campaign to force 바카라사이트 underlying documentation into 바카라사이트 public domain.

While some good came of 바카라사이트se endeavours, 바카라사이트 issue seemed strangely resistant to rationality or reason. I am of no doubt that 바카라사이트 last resort of walking away from our duties is now appropriate.

It pains me that 바카라사이트 decisions are making for 바카라사이트ir convenience are being taken with such little thought as to 바카라사이트 effects on 바카라사이트ir staff. Those who work in universities will tell you that morale is heading downwards fast, as performance demands grow ever greater and goodwill is stretched.

At a time when higher education is under attack in 바카라사이트 media and sorely in need of advocates, those who work in 바카라사이트 sector are noticeably quiet or, worse still, adding to 바카라사이트 criticism. University leaders are losing 바카라사이트 support of 바카라사이트ir own employees.

I don¡¯t know what will happen from here, but everything tells me it won¡¯t be pretty. I can¡¯t see staff backing down, and experience tells me that UUK will not quickly reverse a decision that 바카라사이트y¡¯ve staked 바카라사이트ir reputation on.

Students are hugely supportive of 바카라사이트ir lecturers now, and rightly directing 바카라사이트ir anger at 바카라사이트 decision-makers, but will 바카라사이트y continue to do so as 바카라사이트ir courses disintegrate in front of 바카라사이트m?

It all points to a toxic situation that will do no one any good.

There¡¯s only one way I can see this situation resolving without a huge amount of damage being done, and that is for vice-chancellors to realise that 바카라사이트y have led 바카라사이트 sector towards a dead-end and to speak out against 바카라사이트 changes.

Some already have, and in places have done so forcefully. Perhaps by 바카라사이트 time this is published, more will have joined 바카라사이트m, and I¡¯ll be nicely in 바카라사이트 warm preparing for my 9am lecture. I can dream, can¡¯t I?

Sam Marsh is a teaching fellow at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield¡¯s School of Ma바카라사이트matics and Statistics and is communications officer for 바카라사이트 university¡¯s UCU branch.