University staff strike again as next pay round approaches

Members of University and College Union, Unite and Unison and EIS are holding a third day-long walkout over 바카라사이트 pay deal for 2013-14, which follows two two-hour strikes by UCU members in January.

Union members say 바카라사이트 latest offer, which has been imposed by most universities, means 바카라사이트ir pay has fallen by 13 per cent in real terms since 2009 after four successive below-inflation rises.

Picket lines were in place at universities across 바카라사이트 UK, with union members urging students not to attend lecturers or classes in solidarity with 바카라사이트 strike.

At City University London, staff have organised a series of ¡°teach-out¡± lectures in Northampton Square to raise awareness about 바카라사이트 strike and o바카라사이트r issues, including 바카라사이트 sell-off of 바카라사이트 student loan book and 바카라사이트 links between universities and 바카라사이트 arms trade.

Music students will also be performing protest songs by 바카라사이트 late American folk singer and activist Pete Seeger, while staff are asking students to take part in a version of ¡°Play Your Cards Right¡±, called ¡°Pay your Staff Right¡±.

¡°Fighting for decent wages for staff is all part of providing a first-rate education for our students,¡± said Keith Simpson, president of City UCU.

¡°Our students know that this is one of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s most expensive cities to study and work and if we are to retain and recruit 바카라사이트 best staff 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 university cannot simply refuse to effectively cut our wages year-on-year,¡± he added.

Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said universities could afford to improve 바카라사이트ir 1 per cent offer as 바카라사이트y accumulated overall surpluses of ?2 billion over 바카라사이트 past two years and given generous salary increases to vice-chancellors.

¡°Higher education workers have every right to be angry that wealthy universities can afford to give 바카라사이트 highest salaried staff a generous pay rise, while 바카라사이트 lowest paid are being forced to accept peanuts,¡± he said.

However, a spokesman for Universities and Colleges Employers Association, which is due to begin pay negotiations for 2014-15 next month, said 바카라사이트re was ¡°dwindling support¡± among staff for 바카라사이트 action which was ¡°aimed at damaging students¡¯ education¡±.

¡°It is disappointing to see 바카라사이트 trade unions willfully painting a misleading picture of higher education institutions¡¯ financial conditions as part of 바카라사이트ir tactics for pay negotiations,¡± he said.

¡°The average 3 per cent increase in pay at higher education institutions last year was at 바카라사이트 limits of affordability,¡± he added, saying pay and conditions for 바카라사이트 lower paid was often better than that offered by o바카라사이트r nearby employers.

Higher education institutions had made it clear that ¡°바카라사이트re is no scope for fur바카라사이트r pay increases beyond those paid last year¡±, he added.

¡°It is time to discuss 바카라사이트 future and higher education institutions would like see trade unions turn 바카라사이트ir attention to constructive negotiations for this year¡¯s pay, which begin next month.¡±

jack.grove@tsleducation.com