Students across the UK face disruption as lecturers and support staff at 60 universities begin an eight-day strike. Members of the University and Colleges Union (UCU) are taking action in two separate disputes, one over pensions and one over pay and conditions.
The strikes, running from 25 November to 4 December, follow similar action in February and March last year. Union members are also working strictly to contract, not covering for absent colleagues, and refusing to reschedule lectures lost during the strikes.
UCU general secretary Jo Grady said about 43,600 members were striking for 'systemic change', citing workloads, real-terms pay cuts, a 15% gender pay gap, and pension changes that she said would leave members paying more and receiving less in retirement. The union estimates lecturers could be £240,000 worse off in retirement, rising to £730,000 for professors.
Employers, represented by the University and Colleges Employers Association and Universities UK, say they have increased pension contributions from 18% to 21.1% of salary, paying an extra £250m each year. They warn that meeting union demands would require diverting 'unsustainable amounts of money' from other budgets, potentially affecting jobs, student support, and course closures.
Carol Costello of Liverpool University, speaking for employers, acknowledged concerns but said recent pay and pension contribution rises were at the limit of affordability. Meanwhile, Dr Claire Marris of City University said she was striking because working conditions were being eroded, noting that 50% of university staff are on casual or short-term contracts.
Some students expressed frustration. Lucy, a master's broadcast journalism student, said she understood the reasons for striking but felt losing a week of a short course was unfair. Grace, another trainee journalist, described the disruption as 'really frustrating'.
