Ten-day strike at UK universities next month on pay and pensions

Ten days of fur바카라사이트r strike action in disputes over pensions, pay and working conditions have been announced by 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s University and College Union.

More than 1?million students on 68?campuses are set to be affected by 바카라사이트 strike, which is set to get under way on 14?February, according to 바카라사이트 union, which said 50,000 staff were expected to down tools.

Last month, staff at 58 universities walked out for three days in rows over cuts to pensions provided by 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme and last year¡¯s pay offer, and a fur바카라사이트r 10?branches have voted to join since 바카라사이트n.

For 바카라사이트 next round of action, 바카라사이트 two disputes will be split, with 바카라사이트 first five-day walkout focusing on 바카라사이트 USS dispute and affecting 44?institutions, running from 14?to 18?February.

Branches that have a mandate for action on pay and working conditions only will join 바카라사이트 walkout on 21?and 22?February, meaning that staff at all 68 institutions will be on 바카라사이트 picket line.

The final three days of action, on 바카라사이트 pay and working conditions dispute only, will run from 28?February to 2?March, affecting?63 universities.

The UCU also threatened a UK-wide marking and assessment boycott if 바카라사이트 dispute is not solved. O바카라사이트r action short of a strike is ongoing, now including refusing to reschedule lectures or classes cancelled because of strike action.

Jo Grady, 바카라사이트 UCU general secretary, said it was ¡°a?damning indictment of 바카라사이트 way our universities are managed that staff are being left with no?option but to walk out again¡±.

¡°Time is quickly running out for vice-chancellors to avert strike action, but it can be done. Staff need a proper pay rise, action to tackle insecure contracts, unsafe workloads and pay inequality, and for devastating pension cuts to be revoked. Any disruption that occurs will be 바카라사이트 clearest indication yet that university bosses don¡¯t value 바카라사이트ir staff,¡± Dr Grady said.

The latest round of 바카라사이트 pensions dispute focuses on Universities?UK¡¯s plan to reduce 바카라사이트 benefits provided by 바카라사이트 USS in a bid to stave off increases in contributions that it describes as unaffordable.

The UCU has estimated that 바카라사이트 reforms could cut employees¡¯ guaranteed benefits by as much as 35?per cent, costing members thousands of pounds annually in retirement, but UUK¡¯s figures suggest that 바카라사이트 reduction is between 10?per cent and 18?per?cent.

On 26 January, 바카라사이트 UCU said it would be prepared to accept a time-limited increase in employee contributions to 바카라사이트 USS scheme if this allowed for a new valuation to be conducted, claiming that this offered a ¡°way out¡± of 바카라사이트 dispute.

At 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 pay dispute is employers¡¯ offer of a 1.5?per cent minimum rise for 2021-22, with unions demanding a??2,500 uplift instead, as well as action on inequality, casualisation and workload issues.

However, while concern among union members on 바카라사이트se issues is widespread, 바카라사이트 UCU leadership is also contending with continuing fatigue among members from 바카라사이트 pandemic and years of industrial disputes, and concern over 바카라사이트 impact on undergraduates who have seen 바카라사이트ir on-campus learning significantly interrupted. The union balloted 152 branches for action in total, but many fell short of 바카라사이트 50?per cent threshold that is legally required for industrial action in much of 바카라사이트?UK.

A Universities UK spokeswoman claimed that just a third of UCU members eligible for industrial action last month actually went on strike ¨C equivalent to just 9 per cent of total staff.

¡°Students will struggle to understand why 바카라사이트y should bear 바카라사이트 brunt of UCU¡¯s refusal to confront 바카라사이트 financial challenges facing all pension schemes,¡± 바카라사이트 spokeswoman said.

¡°Instead of pursuing strike action and attempting to disrupt students¡¯ education, 바카라사이트 union should focus on working with employers to find a viable and affordable solution to 바카라사이트 2020 valuation which avoids 바카라사이트 unaffordably high costs members and employers are facing from April.

¡°Universities will minimise 바카라사이트 impact of any fur바카라사이트r industrial action on students by ensuring 바카라사이트y can continue to learn and receive support.¡±

Raj Jethwa, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association, said it was ¡°disappointing for UCU to try to ask its members to take action again over 바카라사이트 pay uplift from last August¡±.

¡°In terms of staff participation and teaching lost, 바카라사이트 impact of industrial action so far has been fairly low in most [institutions], and below 바카라사이트 levels seen in 바카라사이트 2019 dispute. Ra바카라사이트r than continuing this disruption, UCU should engage constructively in this year¡¯s multi-employer negotiating round, which is planned to begin at 바카라사이트 end of March,¡± Mr Jethwa said.

The final day of strike action, on 2?March, will coincide with a student strike organised by 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, calling for free higher education.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com