Staff at British universities to carry out largest ever strike

By Karim El-Bar

LONDON (AA) - The University and College Union (UCU) announced Tuesday the largest-ever university strikes to hit the UK concerning pay, conditions and pensions.

The strikes will take place three days later this month on Nov. 24, 25 and 30.

will involve more than 70,000 university staff at 150 universities, potentially affecting 2.5 million students.

The National Union of Students (NUS) has backed the strikes.

The UCU said in a statement that the strikes could still be avoided if employers acted fast and made improved offers.

“If they don't, strike action will escalate in the New Year alongside a marking and assessment boycott,” it said.

From Nov. 23, staff will also begin “industrial action short of strike action,” including working to rule, refusing to make up work lost due to strike action and refusing to cover for absent colleagues.

The statement added that the union’s demands included a “meaningful” pay rise that dealt with the cost-of-living crisis as well as the end of the use of insecure contracts. The UCU also demanded a reversal of cuts to pensions.

“The UK university sector generated record income of £41.1bn ($47.1 billion) last year with vice chancellors collectively earning an estimated £45million,” according to the statement. “The sector can more than afford to meet staff demands.”

UCU General Secretary Jo Grady said: “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.”

Grady added: “If university vice-chancellors don't get serious, our message is simple - this bout of strike action will be just the beginning.”

Raj Jethwa, chief executive of the Universities and Colleges Employers Association, said: “Any threats of industrial action will do nothing to support students, staff or the many higher education institutions working hard to avoid redundancies or maintain staffing levels, having delivered the August pay uplift.”

The UK is currently experiencing a wave of industrial action due to a bitter cost-of-living crisis and soaring inflation.