Universities on Strike

Today university staff across the country took their second day of united strike action. The three unions taking strike action had met on Monday 21st October with the pay negotiators, UCEA, but sadly the outcome of this meeting was not positive, as although the employers side were prepared to have further meetings with the unions, they clearly informed the unions that they would not be increasing the offer, it would still be 1%. This is despite the fact that staff have had an effective 13% pay cut over the last four years.

“We feel we are left with no other option. With have tried to persuade our employers to tackle the problems of falling pay by talking, negotiating and campaigning, but they still refuse to use any of their amassed money for a fair pay deal.

“That means we have to either accept an endless attack on our pay and conditions – or do something about it.

“The members of all our unions, representing all staff who work in higher education, have voted to take action because we know that unless we do, things will just get worse.”

At the University of Leicester and De Montfort University members of Socialist Students joined staff on their picket lines, and undertook various banner drops in order to show their support for the strike. Workers and students at the University of Leicester are also campaigning to ensure that the university pays all their staff a living wage (£7.65/hour). At present 374 University of Leicester staff are currently paid below this level. This is a perfectly reasonable demand, as just last year the surplus university’s surplus was 2.6% (£7.2million), which means that the Living Wage bill would be just 1.8% of that surplus. Sign the petition now.

Acting in solidarity with all university workers, today students at eight universities across the country have launched occupations of their universities. Students are currently supporting #fairpayinHE strikes in Warwick, Sheffield, Edinburgh, Exeter, Sussex, Liverpool, Birmingham & Goldsmiths. For Leicester Mercury’s report on the strike, see “University staff out on strike.”