Thousands of university staff including administrators, cleaners,
library, security and catering employees are to walk out in a
wave of strikes that will hit universities from today, says
UNISON.
Universities will be disrupted across England and Scotland as
employees push for a fair pay rise that takes account of soaring
cost of living pressures and years of below-inflation awards,
says the union.
The workers, among the lowest paid in the higher education
sector, took the difficult decision to strike after rejecting a
3% pay award from the University and Colleges Employers
Association in May, the union says.
Staff are asking for a wage increase of 2% above inflation, the
lowest measure for which is currently 9.8%.
Universities in Aberdeen, Brighton, Bristol, Edinburgh Glasgow,
Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Winchester are affected,
says UNISON.
UNISON head of education Mike Short said:
“Staff have reached breaking point and have little choice but to
strike.
“For years they’ve watched wages slip further behind living
costs. Now huge price increases threaten to push many over the
edge.
“Staff want to work in higher education. But if their highly paid
university bosses don’t award them a fair pay increase, many are
likely to head off for better paid jobs in other parts of the
economy.”
Notes to editors:
– Strikes are due to take place at:
Birkbeck (University of London) 4 October
Edinburgh Napier University 20, 21 September and 3, 4 October
Glasgow Caledonian University 3, 4 October
Kings College London 27, 28, 29 September
Leeds Beckett University 3, 4, 6 October
Liverpool Hope University 4, 11, 13 October
Liverpool John Moores University 26 September and 4, 11
October
London South Bank University 4, 5 October
Manchester Metropolitan University 4, 5 October
Robert Gordon University 20, 21 September and 3, 4 October
School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London) 26,
27 September and 4 October
University of Glasgow 20, 21 September and 3, 4 October
University of Bristol 26, 27, 28 September
University of Leeds 28, 29, 30 September and 3, 4, 8 October
University of the West of England 20 September
University of Winchester 20, 21 September.
– The 3% increase is for all staff earning £25,627 and above
a year. Staff earning less than this were given a slightly higher
percentage, on a sliding scale, with those earning £17,338
receiving a £1,560 rise and those earning £24,871 a £771
increase.
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than
1.3 million members providing public services in education, local
government, the NHS, police service and
energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary
and private sectors.
