Strikes set to continue

Strikes by lecturers and staff at City and 149 other universities are set to run into the summer after a stalemate over negotiations. The long-running dispute continues for multiple reasons including pensions, pay, and workload.

Members of the University And College Union (UCU) are being reballoted, which could lead to more disruption in the coming months, unless a deal can be reached.

The Universities & Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) is offering a pay rise of at least fve per cent and a review of the pension scheme. The UCU’s decisionmaking committee, however, voted not to put the offer to members and continue the industrial action.

An evaluation in March 2020 of the Universities Superannuation Scheme Limited (USS) resulted in a series of pension cuts for academics, due to market crash during the Covid-19 pandemic. These cuts meant that the average member would lose 35 per cent from their guaranteed future retirement income. However, it was reported in November 2022 that USS had a surplus of £5.6bn, sparking further outrage.

Staff pay has fallen by over 25 per cent over the last 10 years, with many academics on short-term or zero-hours contracts. Additionally, University employees have not had a pay increase that matches infation for 13 years.

Another complaint from strikers is over pay inequality. Women, people of colour, and those with disabilities are being paid signifcantly less than their white, male counterparts.

They also claim that the staff workload has been overwhelming due to increased student enrolment. Keith Simpson, president of City’s UCU, said: “I have seen our workload increase year after year after year.”

Mr Simpson said due to this increasing pressure, many have taken leave for stress-related illnesses or have been forced to go part-time to cope with mounting workloads.

Dr Lauren McCarthy, Bayes Business School lecturer, added: “I’m striking because I believe we have a fantastic university system in the UK and I’m worried if it continues this way, it’ll become a privatised and privileged industry. Higher education should be accessible for as many people as possible.”

MA Journalism student Katie Ross said: “I support the strikes as it is important that lecturers have pension security and a wage that refects their work. However, it is frustrating when students are missing the education they’ve paid so much for.”

Mr Simpson urged students who want to show their support to complain to the university over their loss of education. He claimed that staff conditions have worsened since he joined the university in 1997, impacting staff ability to offer pastoral support to students.

Anthony Finkelstein, the president of City, said: “Staff investment is by far the largest area of our spending. On top of pay, City contributes the equivalent of 21.6 per cent of each employee’s salary to their pension pot each month.

“It is reasonable to ask why we are unable to meet the demands of the unions,” he added. “Put simply, we do not have the ability to do so because tuition fees set by the Government have been frozen for several years. Meanwhile, our costs are rapidly increasing.”

Alice Wade and Lucy Sarret