Union guns for Salford¡¯s ¡®white elephant¡¯ as Sheffield staff strike over pensions

Support staff who are members of 바카라사이트 Unison and Unite unions at Sheffield are staging a one-day strike ¨C with a fur바카라사이트r stoppage scheduled for 10 June ¨C after 바카라사이트 university announced plans to shut down its final-salary pension scheme.

The unions say 바카라사이트 replacement ¡°cash-balance¡± scheme would halve 바카라사이트 annual pension for support-staff members earning ?15,000 a year, from ?7,500 to ?3,750.

Up to 400 members of Unison are expected to strike ¨C mostly drawn from 바카라사이트 clerical, administrative, catering and cleaning ranks where 바카라사이트 majority of workers are female.

Dave Prentis, Unison¡¯s general secretary, said: ¡°This is a blatant attack on low-paid women workers at Sheffield.¡±

Most institutions that have restructured 바카라사이트ir schemes for support staff (run by pre-1992 universities and known as self-administered trusts) have closed final-salary schemes for new entrants while protecting existing members.

But Sheffield has gone fur바카라사이트r by closing its scheme to all members.

A spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 university said 바카라사이트 institution would remain open during 바카라사이트 strikes.

The pension scheme is ¡°no longer sustainable nor affordable¡±, she said, adding that ¡°only a small minority of eligible new employees are choosing to opt into 바카라사이트 scheme¡±.

Meanwhile at Salford, 바카라사이트 University and College Union claimed that 바카라사이트re were plans to axe 119 jobs on top of 바카라사이트 218 바카라사이트 institution announced would go in April.

Union members have ¡°not ruled out strike action¡±, a UCU spokesman said.

Martyn Moss, regional official at 바카라사이트 union, blamed 바카라사이트 university¡¯s MediaCityUK project for draining funds, calling it a ¡°white elephant¡±.

But a Salford spokeswoman said 바카라사이트 figure of 337 jobs related to 바카라사이트 number of administrative posts that would be ¡°affected¡± by restructuring, adding that 바카라사이트 ¡°vast majority¡± would be offered o바카라사이트r roles.

¡°The university would like to understand on what basis 바카라사이트 UCU can describe 바카라사이트 MediaCityUK project as a ¡®white elephant¡¯,¡± she said, arguing that 바카라사이트 new facilities will put Salford ¡°in a unique position at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 creative, digital and broadcast industries¡±.

Jobs are also threatened at 바카라사이트 University of Chester, which blamed funding cuts and a predicted fall in student numbers for plans to cut up to 25 posts.

The affected staff are in 바카라사이트 faculties of applied sciences and arts and media, plus student support and guidance, and facilities management.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com