University staff in Northern Ireland walk out over pension dispute

University staff in Northern Ireland will begin strike action today over “brutal” pension cuts and deteriorating working conditions.
By Graeme Cousins
Published 14th Feb 2022, 05:00 BST
Staff at Queen's went on strike as recently as December over pay, workloads and pensions. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEyeStaff at Queen's went on strike as recently as December over pay, workloads and pensions. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye
Staff at Queen's went on strike as recently as December over pay, workloads and pensions. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye

According to the University and College Union (UCU), members at Queens University Belfast and Ulster University will start a 10-day walkout this morning.

Staff at the Open University in NI are also on strike for 12 days over same disputes. They are taking two extra days of strike action because the teaching model is different to a standard university week with the bulk of tutorials taking place during the weekend.

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UK-wide, over a million students are expected to be impacted by the strike action.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “The action that begins today and will eventually hit 68 universities is down to vice chancellors who have failed staff and students.

“They have pushed through brutal pension cuts and done nothing to address falling pay, pay inequality, the rampant use of insecure contracts and unmanageable workloads.

“Throughout these disputes, our union has offered simple solutions that would avert industrial action and benefit the sector in the long-term, but time and again employers have chosen to continue pushing staff to breaking point, all whilst the sector continues to bring in tens of billions of pounds each year.

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“To avoid this period of industrial action all vice chancellors had to do was accept UCU’s viable pension proposals and take action over worsening pay and working conditions. That they didn’t is an abject failure of their leadership.

“Students are standing by our members because they don’t want to be taught by staff who are overworked and underpaid. And they know that this sector, which is awash with money, can afford to treat its staff with dignity.

“As ten days of action begins today vice-chancellors urgently need to get around the table and help UCU resolve these disputes.”

To resolve the pay and 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 the use of insecure and exploitative contracts.

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Related topics:Northern IrelandStudents