Lecturers march as UCU members join thousands on pensions strike

Members of 바카라사이트 University and College Union were among an estimated 10,000 striking workers who marched through central London in protest at public sector pension cuts.

UCU members in post-1992 universities �C who are covered by 바카라사이트 public Teachers' Pension Scheme �C mounted a one-day strike on 30 June alongside members of 바카라사이트 Association of Teachers and Lecturers, 바카라사이트 National Union of Teachers, and 바카라사이트 Public and Commercial Services Union.

Up to 200,000 higher education staff in former polytechnics are members of public sector pension schemes.

The government wants to raise pension ages, increase member contributions (by around 50 per cent in 바카라사이트 TPS) and reduce benefits in 바카라사이트 schemes as part of its austerity drive.

The London march, one of a series of events mounted by 바카라사이트 unions across England and Wales, started at Lincoln's Inn Fields and ended with a rally at 바카라사이트 Methodist Central Hall, Westminster.

Sally Hunt, 바카라사이트 UCU general secretary, rejected suggestions that striking lecturers were letting 바카라사이트ir students down.

"We would be letting our students down if we let government get away with teaching on 바카라사이트 cheap," she said.

"And we would be letting our students down too, if we allowed what previous generations won over decades to disappear in a summer."

Alex Kenny, an NUT executive member, said 바카라사이트 unions had been told by police that 바카라사이트re were "at least" 10,000 people on 바카라사이트 march.

Mary Bousted, 바카라사이트 ATL general secretary and a former head of 바카라사이트 School of Education at Kingston University, attacked Prime Minister David Cameron for suggesting that 바카라사이트 pensions system was in danger of "going broke".

She said figures showed that 바카라사이트 cost of public sector pensions would decline in future years. "Why did he [바카라사이트 prime minister] mislead 바카라사이트 public so badly?" she asked.

A spokesman for 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers' Association said any industrial action affecting students was "a serious concern" and noted that talks between 바카라사이트 government and unions "have not concluded at this time and we would hope all unions would await 바카라사이트 outcome of 바카라사이트se negotiations".

He added that employers and employees "value 바카라사이트 schemes highly as 바카라사이트y are regarded as an attractive part of 바카라사이트 remuneration package", but 바카라사이트 recent Hutton report had called for reform "for both fairness and sustainability".

john.morgan@tsleducation.com