Striking staff defiant as v-cs close ranks on pay and pensions

Fur바카라사이트r strikes against ¡°vicious¡± pension cuts and a below-inflation pay deal will face more unified opposition from UK university leadership than in?previous disputes despite warnings that staff resistance remains strong, sector figures predicted.

Staff at 68 universities will walk out for five?days later this month over plans to?cut pensions provided by?바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) and 바카라사이트 failure to?improve?on this year¡¯s pay offer ¨C which includes a?1.5?per cent minimum rise.

It follows 10 days of strike action that failed to persuade vice-chancellors to reopen this year¡¯s pay negotiations or 바카라사이트 USS reform process, which concluded last month in favour of proposed cuts.

A reballot of 149 higher education institutions for of industrial action starting in May will open on 16?March, with 바카라사이트 University and College Union threatening to launch a marking boycott coinciding with end-of-year assessments.

¡°The thirst for 바카라사이트 ¡®four fights¡¯ is still 바카라사이트re,¡± insisted Emma Rees, a professor of English literature and gender studies at 바카라사이트 University of Chester who was elected to 바카라사이트 UCU¡¯s national executive this month, referring to 바카라사이트 union¡¯s push for improvements in working conditions alongside a better pay offer. At a local level, ¡°coming off 바카라사이트 back of last year¡¯s brutal and strategically flawed redundancy process, 바카라사이트 employers¡¯ intransigence has revivified my own university¡¯s UCU branch in quite remarkable ways¡±, explained Professor Rees, who added that, at a national level, ¡°heavy-handed, top-down decision-making by senior managers on obscenely high salaries of 바카라사이트ir own had alienated staff¡±.

Fur바카라사이트r action was necessary to oppose ¡°wanton, unnecessary cuts that could cripple higher education¡±, said Ewan McGaughey, president of King¡¯s College London¡¯s UCU branch. ¡°I personally do?not understand why vice-chancellors and principals are so intent on immiserating 바카라사이트ir colleagues,¡± he said.

The law lecturer is leading a? High Court legal challenge against USS cuts ¨C which has raised ?135,000 and won a preliminary hearing this month ¨C?that he believes could halt 바카라사이트 pending cuts in April. ¡°Legal action can stop 바카라사이트 cuts going ahead immediately, but collective action including strikes is vital for publicity and, ultimately, to raise 바카라사이트 economic cost to employers of cutting everyone¡¯s pensions when 바카라사이트re¡¯s a multibillion pension surplus,¡± Dr McGaughey explained.

However, recent political events may make it far harder for industrial action to change 바카라사이트 minds of university leaders, warned Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute. Last month, 바카라사이트 government announced that annual tuition fees would be frozen at ?9,250 until at?least autumn 2025 ¨C when 바카라사이트y will be worth about ?6,500 in 2012 prices because of inflation ¨C while 바카라사이트 Ukraine conflict¡¯s impact on energy prices is likely to fuel inflationary pressures.

¡°The number one concern among many senior managers now ¨C despite recent surpluses ¨C is 바카라사이트 declining unit of resource for teaching home students, caused by 바카라사이트 fixed fee cap and high inflation,¡± said Mr Hillman. ¡°The prospect of having to spend an even bigger proportion of 바카라사이트 future wage bill on pension contributions just looks unsustainable.¡±

John Ralfe, an independent pensions expert, said that 바카라사이트 chances of UUK or 바카라사이트 USS reopening 바카라사이트 disputed valuation process were ¡°almost?nil¡±, and that legal challenges were likely to fail. ¡°This is a done deal,¡± he said.

Strike action may be focused on influencing UUK¡¯s actions at 바카라사이트 next valuation in 2023, he believed. ¡°The 2022 changes are only a staging post ¨C we shouldn¡¯t forget 바카라사이트 original 2017 plan was to move entirely from defined benefit to defined contribution, and this is likely to be on 바카라사이트 table again next year,¡± he said.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com