More University Strikes Possible

Further industrial action looks likely if the University doesn’t agree to negotiate with staff in an increasingly bitter pay dispute.

One staff member told The Tab on Thursday that the strike could just be the first of many.

If they don’t come back to the table, everybody who’s here today will strike again. The University is stopping our pay for being here. I’d imagine next month some time but we’ve got to see where we go from here. This is our first day of action to see what support we get.

One lecturer also told us further strikes were possible and in the mean time lecturers won’t be putting in the extra work normally expected of them.

I think the strike ballot that UCU took is valid for another month or six weeks but as of Friday all academic staff are working to contract, so we’re withdrawing the goodwill that goes along with working until 2 in the morning to get things done, the extra things we do all the time because we care about our jobs.

While many students found they were largely unaffected by Thursday’s strike, further action would increase the impact on teaching and services. Staff are unhappy that they have received a real terms pay cut while the University’s management enjoy generous remuneration and maintain a large operating surplus of £15m in recent years.