The UK’s University And College Union Strike Over Changes To Their Pension Fund Is Cancelled

 

 

The UCU are taking strike action due to changes in their pension scheme that will see an average £10,000 reduction per year. Lecturers, academics and researchers from sixty-five universities across the country have been on strike since the 22^nd of February with a total of 14 strike days. University UK have claimed that the cuts are necessary as the UK’s largest private pension scheme the University Superannuation Scheme (USS) is £6.1bn in deficit.

The UCU general secretary Sally Hunt stated that: “Staff who have delivered the international excellence universities boast of are understandably angry at efforts to slash their pensions. They feel let down by vice-chancellors who seem to care more about defending their own pay and perks than the rights of their staff.”

The strikes aimed to put pressure on the vice chancellors to challenge the pension cuts but students have suffered most as a result of the industrial action. Student unions across the country have chosen to support the strike action despite missing out on weeks of teaching time and support. The NUS estimates that around one million students have been affected by the walkouts in total.

Kings College in London have set up a fund to compensate students for the disruption to lectures using the money from the striking staff’s pay. However, for most students the strikes impact has not been addressed and many are complaining about the impact this action is having their grades and learning.

All parties want a fast resolution and until now negotiation have been unsuccessful. A recent ballot of 50,000 UCU members found a substantial majority in favour of accepting the new offer which will involve establishing a committee of experts to assess pensions provided by the USS.

Hunt stated in an interview with the Guardian that “We hope this important agreement will hearten workers across the UK fighting to defend their pension rights and was won through the amazing strike action of UCU members”.

This agreement will mean that there is no disruption to students over the exam period and an opportunity for the pension scheme to be discussed in detail by a panel of experts from both sides.

Watch below to see interviews with staff and students: