‘Biggest ever’ university strikes to hit universities across the UK- including Leeds
Over 70,000 members of university staff at a collective 150 universities will be striking over the month, including at the University of Leeds.
The strike is over pay, conditions and pensions and will see a three-day walkout at universities across the UK.
The strikes are set to take place over three dates this month: Thursday 24 November, Friday 25 November and Wednesday 30 November 2022.
Plus on Wednesday 23 November staff will be working to rule, refusing to make up lost work as a result of the strike action and refusing to cover for absent colleagues.
UCU , the University and College Union, which represents over 120,000 academic staff, including lecturers, researchers, instructors, administrators, librarians and technicians, has said that the disruption can be avoided if employers “act fast and make improved offers”.
The strike is a result of two national ballots from UCU members voted ‘yes’ to strike over pay and working conditions, as well as pension cuts.
This includes: a meaningful pay rise that accounts for the cost-of-living crisis and action to end insecure contracts: at present employers imposed a 3% pay rise following what UCU has called “a decade of below inflation pay awards” and noting that a third of academic staff are employed on a temporary contract of some description.
Strike dates announced! https://t.co/ygJoDlAfrb
— Leeds University UCU (@leedsucu) November 8, 2022
UCU general secretary Jo Grady has commented on the strike, stating: “Campuses across the UK are about to experience strike action on a scale never seen before. 70,000 staff will walk out and make clear they refuse to accept falling pay, cuts to pensions and insecure employment.
“This is not a dispute about affordability – it is about choices. Vice-chancellors are choosing to pay themselves hundreds of thousands of pounds whilst forcing our members onto low paid and insecure contracts that leave some using foodbanks. They choose to hold billions in surpluses whilst slashing staff pensions.
“UCU members do not want to strike but are doing so to save the sector and win dignity at work. This dispute has the mass support of students because they know their learning conditions are our members’ working conditions.
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More information about the strikes can be found on the UCU website.
Feature Image- UCU