University staff in 14 days of strikes

Staff from Lancaster will be among universities taking part in strikes over two separate issues.
The University of Lancaster will be the subject of 14 days of strikes over two separate issuesThe University of Lancaster will be the subject of 14 days of strikes over two separate issues
The University of Lancaster will be the subject of 14 days of strikes over two separate issues

The University of Lancaster will be hit with 14 days of strike action between this Thursday and Friday March 13.

In what is being billed the biggest strike ever, members of the University and College Union (UCU) are walking out in two disputes - one over pensions, and another over pay and working conditions – in the largest wave of strikes seen on UK campuses.

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The disputes centre on changes to USS ( Universities Superannuation Scheme) pensions and claims over universities’ failure to make improvements on pay, equality, casualisation and workloads.

Edge Hill University is involved in the pay and conditions element of the dispute

UCU regional official Martyn Moss said: "It is incredibly frustrating that UCU members are being forced to walk out again to secure fair pay, conditions and pensions. This unprecedented level of action shows just how angry staff are at their universities’ refusal to negotiate properly with us.

"If universities want to avoid continued disruption then they need to get their representatives back to the negotiating table with serious options to resolve these disputes.’

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UCU members at Lancaster were among staff at 60 universities involved in eight days of strikes before Christmas.

They will be joined this week by staff at another 14 institutions.

A statement from Lancaster University said the institution was committed to achieving: " the fairest possible pay and pension for staff, and will continue work to positively influence negotiations at a national level, while recognising that outcomes must be affordable and sustainable for Lancaster University in the long term."

The spokesman said the dispute was the result of national pay and pension issues, most of which are outside the university’s control.

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The statement continued: "This further planned strike action comes at a time when positive national-level talks on the future of pensions, pay and working conditions are making significant progress and are ongoing.

"We particularly regret the impact of this on our students, who have already been through other periods of strike action and on colleagues across the university, who will be working hard to minimise disruption and ensure that students are supported in their studies and assessment.

The dispute also centres on equality, employment contracts and workloads, three issues which we take seriously and are actively working to improve. Our new fixed-term contracts and casual working policy is an example of sector-leading change to address casualisation within Higher Education.

We maintain that the best way forward is to work collectively to secure a pension scheme that is highly valued and affordable for all."

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The number of universities being hit by the action is the largest since a nationwide two-day strike in 2016, while the number of strike days is unprecedented.

UCU members will be taking action on:

Week one - Thursday 20 & Friday 21 February

Week two – Monday 24, Tuesday 25 & Wednesday 26 February

Week three – Monday 2, Tuesday 3, Wednesday 4 & Thursday 5 March

Week four - Monday 9, Tuesday 10, Wednesday 11, Thursday 12 & Friday March 13

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Striking staff will be on picket lines at all entrances to the university including the main campus entrance off the A6, the Alexandra Park entrance and the cycle path entrance next to Bailrigg House.

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