Strike action underway at University of Leeds as pension dispute intensifies

Staff at the University of Leeds have joined 58 UK universities in walking out for three consecutive days from today (Wednesday 1) to Friday, December 3.

The strike comes following claims that staff have been misled over the size of pension cuts Employers have misled staff over the size of pension cuts and with employers having rejected University and College Union's (UCU) reasonable demands to address falling pay and worsening working conditions.

UCU members at the University of Leeds will be on strike with picket lines set to be in place on each of the three days.

Last month UCU members at 58 institutions backed strike action in two separate ballots, one over pension cuts and one over pay & working conditions.

Research by the National Union of Students shows 73 per cent of students support university staff taking strike action. 42 branches across the UK that just failed to meet the Conservative anti trade union threshold of 50 per cent are being re-balloted to join escalating action next year.

Staff pay has fallen by 20 per cent after 12 years of below inflation pay offers while almost 90,000 academic and academic-related staff are employed on insecure contracts.

The gender pay gap in UK universities sits at 15 per cent, while the disability pay gap is 9 per cent and the race pay gap is 17 per cent.

Staff are also said to be experiencing a crisis of work-related stress with over half showing probable signs of depression.

To resolve the pension dispute UCU is demanding employers revoke their pension proposals which would see a typical lecturer face a cut of 35 per cent to their guaranteed retirement income. To resolve the pay & working conditions dispute UCU is demanding a £2.5k pay increase for all staff, as well as action to tackle unmanageable workloads, pay inequality and insecure contracts that blight the sector.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: "It is deeply regrettable that staff have been forced into taking industrial action again, but sadly university bosses have shown little interest in negotiating in good faith and addressing the serious concerns of staff over falling pay, massive pension cuts, equality pay gaps and the rampant use of insecure contracts.

"The truth is that staff are asking for the bare minimum in a sector awash with money. But sadly, the only time vice chancellors seem to listen is when staff take action, and those leading our universities should not underestimate their determination to change this sector for the better.

"We are grateful to all the students who are supporting staff taking industrial action because they understand that staff working conditions are student learning conditions. Vice-chancellors now need to concentrate on asking themselves why strikes have become an annual occurrence and seek to resolve this dispute in order to avoid more needless disruption to learning. If they continue to ignore the modest demands of staff then we will be forced to take further industrial action in the new year, which even more branches will join."

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