The pay dispute: Another tidal wave of strikes to hit Newcastle

They’re at it again – uni staff will strike yet again this Thursday as the bitter pay row continues.

Rowdy scenes from last term’s strike

If Thursday’s your day off anyway, you’ll be kicking yourself. But if, for you, Thursdays comprise of a 9am start and 750 lectures, then checking your emails to find that another strike is planned for the entire day this Thursday will surely improve your week considerably.

And with 2/3 uni staff nationally being represented by UCU, the chances are you’ll get your lie in on Thursday.

Thursday 6^th February’s day-long strike marks part of the third wave of strikes to affect UK universities this academic year.

And let’s hope your exams have already been marked – university staff threatened to boycott exam marking during last week’s strike.

The bitter pay row continues

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) will join members of Unite and Unison for the strike this coming Thursday. Unite is one of many HE staff unions who feel strongly that staff deserve more than a 1% pay rise.

But this is not the end of the action – another mini-strike is due between 9am-11am on Monday 10^th February.

Around 2/3 of lecturers belong to the UCU

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said: “Despite another embarrassing round of embarrassing revelations about the very handsome pay rises those at the very top have enjoyed recently, universities are still refusing to improve a miserly 1% pay offer and are still oblivious to the hypocrisy of their actions.”

But how excited are students for a day off? Do you care? Or would you rather just get the work done and out of the way?

Biomedical Science student Sean O’Kelly told The Tab: “I can understand why they are striking as their pay isn’t rising with inflation, but I would be annoyed if I was missing stuff – we pay God knows how much to study here. Luckily I don’t have lectures at the moment.”

History student Laura Green said:  “I do welcome a day off and they are striking for a worthy cause, plus they’ve told us that it doesn’t affect assessment so there shouldn’t be an issue! I’ll be in the library either way though #thirdyear”.

Last term’s picket

Do you agree with the strikes? Should our top dogs stop hogging all the dollar and give our poor, tired old lecturers a bonus?