DOG DAYS NOT OVER

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As seen by Marine: Marine Saint investigates the significance of Bristol's ongoing NHS nurses’ and ambulance sta strikes for students.

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As yet another fresh wave of strikes gets underway Vice-Chancellor Evelyn Welch underlined her lack of con dence in a national resolution being found to the University and Colleges Union (UCU) strike.

Three days of strike action has already taken place so far and students are braced for up to a further 15 days of strikes action in February and March, although Welch is not con dent in a solution being found.

Speaking exclusively to Epigram from on the picket line, she stated that ‘to be blunt I’m not that condent about a national resolution.’

The UCU is taking strike action over a number of issues including pay, working conditions and pensions cuts.

The strike action took place in conjunction with 150 universities across the country, involving more than 70,000 members of university sta nationwide.

During the industrial action, strikers gathered outside a number of university buildings including on Woodland Road, the Arts Complex, the Merchant Ventures building, the School of Geography as well as outside of the Richmond Building.

Both the history and modern languages departments recorded their biggest every picket lines for strike action.

Ruth Glynn, a professor in the School of Modern Languages, said that during her time at the University working conditions had decreased.

‘It’s something that we don’t want to be doing but we’ve been forced into with the increasing attacks on our conditions, on our pay and on our conditions in general.

'I’ve been at the university for over 20 years.

'Over that time, I’ve seen conditions get more and more di cult. There’s a lot of fatigue, and stress amongst sta .

‘I’m striking to make sure that we can improve conditions so that the best people come to work in this profession and continue to develop and motivate students.

'So that students get the best experience and so the UK as an academic environment continues to be competitive in the global sphere.’

‘We’ve also seen for the rst time this year much harsher messages about non-conformance and threats to reduce pay if we don’t put up slides.

'We’ve never had that kind of escalation in the discourse before.

'The Vice-Chancellor is taking a harsher line than in the past and we don’t think it’s deserved.’

Matthew Brown, a fellow professor in the School of Modern Languages, said that ‘students’ learning conditions are our working conditions. I feel like I’ve been saying that for many years. When our working conditions get worse, student learning conditions get worse.’

He implored Vice- Chancellor Evelyn Welch to do more to take action.

‘Come and talk to us for longer than half an hour. Listen to people's concerns and take a public stance on working conditions and pay.’

85 per cent of respondents to an Epigram poll said that they were supportive of the strikes.

Multiple students echoed this support for sta :

‘At the end of the day, you remember a good teacher and you want them to be well o .

‘I think that striking is a very important part of any sort of labour force because it ensures equal rights, fair wages, fair working hours.’

Questioned on whether they supported the UCU strikes or felt frustrated by the disruption, one student said:

‘I stand with my teachers, I stand with my professors.’

In response to the strikes,

The UCU said it was o ered an improved pay deal for 202324 worth between 5 per cent and 8 per cent on 25 January, but that was 'not enough'.

But the Universities and Colleges Employers' Association has said the o er is actually worth up to 7 per cent.

Academic sta and those in other professional roles including administrators, librarians and technicians are all taking part...

Continued on page 5...