Wednesday 21 March 2018
Issue 119
Girl Power
The most empowering women in the music industry Music
p. 30
Video Game Movies
Varsity 2018
Screen
Sports
Get excited for another year of Black and Gold
A look at some of the best and worst attempts
p. 36
p. 44
Students occupy Arts Tower for three days
Ben Warner
The Arts Tower spent three days under occupation by students who were demanding concessions from the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Keith Burnett. Around 20 people, who were members of Sheffield StudentWorker Solidarity, barricaded the doors to the building in the early hours of Wednesday 14 March and issued a list of demands surrounding the UCU strike and wider issues. They faced criticism from architecture and landscape students, who were unable to access the building during the occupation to retrieve possessions or do work. However, the occupiers insisted they were willing to let students in, and it was the University who were preventing access. The University sent an email to all students on the morning of Saturday 17 March saying that the occupation was over and that professional offices in the building would reopen at 7AM on Monday 19 March. The legal action being taken against the occupation is being terminated. Rallies, demonstration and marches in support of the strikes took place across the University campus and city (pic: Ben Warner/Kate Marron)
Phase one of UCU strike action comes to an end Ben Warner
T
he planned UCU strike action came to an end on Friday 16 March after 14 days of strikes over four weeks. Members of the University and College Union voted to strike against proposed changes to their pensions which would see it based on investment performance rather than workers’ contributions. This has been criticised, as it is
thought that some lecturers could lose up to £10,000 per year under the new system. The strike was announced in January and began on Thursday 22 February, with two days of strikes. The strike days increased each week, culminating in five consecutive days of strikes last week. UCU branches rejected a deal from Universities UK last week which could have seen the strike end early and criticised the deal being offered. During the period of action,
pickets were held outside University buildings every day, and multiple marches took place through the city centre, including one lead by women to celebrate International Women’s Day (read more on page 4). Dr Sam Marsh, Communications Officer for Sheffield UCU and University Teacher in the School of Mathematics and Statistics said: “We are amazed and appalled that vicechancellors have allowed this dispute to carry on this far, especially given the damaging effects it is having on
all concerned. “While the initial wave of strikes is now over, we are entering the second phase of action which will see staff refusing to do more than the hours they are paid for. We are certain students will see the effects of this, given the huge amounts of unpaid work that goes on in the sector, late into the evening and at weekends. “While the dates of further strike action have not yet been announced, we expect there to be further significant disruption soon
after Easter, and possibly even into the exam period, if vice-chancellors don’t listen to their staff and find a way to get them back onside.” The Students’ Union supported the strike in their action, after SU Council voted unanimously to support it in a meeting in December. Education Officer Stuart McMillan was heavily involved in supporting the striking lecturers, leading chanting and giving speeches at rallies around campus during the action. However... (cont. on page 5)