Staff at University of Chester join UK wide university strike

Staff at the University of Chester downed tools today (Monday) in a pay and working conditions dispute. Their demands include a £2.5k pay rise for all university employees.

Staff are out on strike for five days; today, tomorrow (Tuesday), and next week Monday (28 February) to Wednesday (2 March). Staff and students universities will be on picket lines every day of the action [NOTE 1].

The University and College Union (UCU) estimates staff pay has fallen by more than a quarter (25.5%) in real terms since 2009 [NOTE 2]. University employer representative, the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) has refused to budge on its offer of a paltry 1.5% increase on existing salaries for 2021/22.

Staff at the University of Chester and 23 other institutions across the UK join UCU members at 44 universities who walked out last week over a 35% cut to their guaranteed pension income. In total 68 universities are being hit with strike action lasting up to 10 days [NOTE 3].

The full strike dates, with numbers of institutions involved, are:

·        Last week (USS pension dispute only, 44 institutions): 5 days; Monday 14 to Friday 18 February

·        This week (both the pension and the pay & working conditions dispute, 68 institutions): 2 days; Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 February

·        Next week (pay & working conditions dispute only, 63 institutions): 3 days; Monday 28 February, Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 March.

New inflation figures mean UCU estimates staff pay is now down by more than a quarter in real terms since 2009. Over 70,000 academics are employed on insecure contracts. The gender pay gap in UK universities sits at 16%, whilst the disability pay gap is 9% and the race pay gap is up to 17% [NOTE 4]. Staff are also experiencing a crisis of work-related stress with over half showing probable signs of depression.

Staff striking over pay and working conditions are demanding an end to race, gender and disability pay injustice; a framework to eliminate zero-hours and other insecure contracts; meaningful action to tackle unmanageable workloads; as well as a £2.5k pay rise for all university employees.

Staff are also engaged in action short of a strike (ASOS) which involves working strictly to contract, not covering for absent colleagues, not rescheduling lectures or classes cancelled due to strike action, or undertaking any voluntary activities. UCEA has authorised bosses to withhold the pay of staff taking ASOS.

The union said universities can more than afford to meet the demands of staff. University finance figures show total income across the sector is around £41.9bn with reserves of £46.8bn. On average, vice-chancellors enjoy full pay packages of £269k per year. The National Union of Students (NUS) is supporting staff taking action and has organised a student strike on Wednesday 2 March.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: ‘Whilst the university sector continues to bring in tens of billions of pounds each year, the staff who make it work are forced to endure over a decade of real term pay cuts and the indignity of trying to make ends meet on exploitative and insecure contracts. Vice chancellors on eye-watering salaries have serious questions to answer as to why they have allowed staff pay to fall by over a quarter since 2009, further exposing staff to the cost of living crisis.

‘Staff aren’t asking for the world, they want secure contracts, decent pay and manageable workloads. But instead of listening to the longstanding concerns of their own workforce, employers have pushed them to breaking point and now half are reporting signs of depression.

‘During these strikes the support of students has been overwhelming. In their thousands they have lobbied their vice chancellors and we are proud that on Wednesday 2 March they will be taking UK-wide strike action alongside staff. It’s high-time this world-leading sector stopped dining off the good will and dedication of its staff and started treating them with dignity.’