Today’s strike by lecturers has been repelled by the union’s hard left, which hampered negotiations, said university vice-chancellors last night.
As part of a continuing dispute over pay, pensions and working conditions, more than 1 million students will be affected by industrial action. It is scheduled to occur from today to Friday.
Universities UK (which represents the vice chancellors of 140 universities in the UK) said lecturers that were leaving had been taken by the University and College Union’s hard left faction.
It stated that the demands of campaigners ahead strike action which was due to commence today were unrealistic.
The Times reported that Universities UK had criticised the demand made by Universities UK in an open blog letter. UUK claimed two members of the UCU Left faction refused to accept a compromise plan on pensions.
One of the union’s key negotiators was Dr Marion Hersh, a senior lecturer in biomedical engineering at Glasgow University who is against ‘marketisation’ and has spoken about ‘decolonising’ the curriculum.
Members of the University and College Union, (UCU), will take industrial action today. If the pension and pay dispute continues unresolved, it could extend into next year.
Another academic linked to the blog post is Dr Deepa Govindarajan Driver, an adviser to regulators and banks and a lecturer in governance, regulation and risk at Henley Business School, part of Reading University.
This week, approximately 50,000 lecturers will strike at 58 UK universities in protest against the pay-and-benefit disputes.
According to the union, up to 1 million students may be affected by industrial action.
After votes favoring industrial action over two distinct disputes, UCU members will be forced to leave between Wednesday-Friday
Overall, 76% of UCU members who voted supported strike action to address changes in pensions.
70% of the members supported strike action in the vote on pay and condition.
Queen Mary University London students began a strike of eight days in protest against the University and College Union’s decision to terminate their pension rights. The strikes were initiated by members of both University and College Union.
Union members won’t just strike on the three days of action, but they will also take other industrial actions starting December 1. They may refuse additional duties and work to contract.
Universities branded the walk-outs ‘disappointing’ after students already suffered months of remote learning during the pandemic.
Universities UK said the pension demands were ‘unrealistic’, could lead to ‘insolvency’ and added the UCU campaign ‘is nothing more than a smokescreen for their ideologically entrenched opposition to corporate finance’.
UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: ‘Staff are asking for the bare minimum… but sadly, the only time vice chancellors seem to listen is when staff take action.’
Ms Grady warned of the possibility that industrial action will increase in spring if there is still a dispute with the employers.
UCU claims cuts to Universities Superannuation scheme (USS) pensions would decrease the guaranteed retirement income for a member by 35%.
In 2019, the union staged a number of walkouts over pay, pensions and other conditions. This affected all UK universities. A row about pensions led to strike action in 2018.