OVER 70,000 UCU members at 150 universities are striking again today in a three-day action which began yesterday and is due to conclude tomorrow, with lecturers on the picket lines alongside colleagues in other roles, including librarians, technicians, security staff and catering workers.
The dispute is over pay, working conditions and pension cuts.
At Goldsmiths College there was a rally of 50 striking lecturers and student supporters, as well as a representative from the Free Julian Assange Campaign and the Justice for Guantanamo campaign group, along with artwork from ex-Guantanamo Bay prisoners.
Dr Deepa Driver, Goldsmiths lecturer, UCU branch committee member and NEC National Negotiator, told News Line: ‘We didn’t take this action to step down on this rubbish offer, which is 5%. We have to make this union leadership accountable. We need to put pressure on the leadership, the NEC, to continue to pay strike pay.
‘We know there are funds available. The universities, their managements, have held our wages down for a long time, over a decade.
‘Turning down the 5% offer was more significant than that, in reality it was turning down a 15% pay cut.
‘Going forward, we will not accept the attack on our pensions. The university employers want to cut them by around 35% in the coming years. We have a court case against the USS (Universities Superannuation Scheme).
‘The pension scheme is really in a good financial position but they will still cut it. There is no black hole. We will fight until we win what we need.’
Marian Carty, UCU Goldsmiths Executive Committee member, said: ‘We want to achieve pension justice. If anything, that is more important than the wages because the cut is even bigger than our bad wage offer.
‘With the cost of living crisis and everything becoming more expensive, wages and pensions are one struggle. It is vital that we carry on our struggle, because they want us all to be gig economy workers on precarious contracts.
‘It’s the casualisation of our society. We have solidarity with all striking workers, especially teachers who are facing similar cuts in their working conditions as we are. Our fight is their fight.
‘It would be good if we could get a general strike. I support a general strike. We must unite all the struggles across the working class together.’
Speaking on the picket line outside King’s College London, King’s UCU Branch President Dr Ewan McGaughey said: ‘We’ve had real terms 30% pay cuts since this Tory government started in 2010. The deal on the table is another 5% real terms pay cut this year.
‘On top of the pay cuts everyone has already suffered, there are cuts to pensions and enormous race and gender pay gaps of around 18% nationally.
‘And we’ve got young precarious staff being forced to apply for their jobs every single year. The staff and the students have the same interests.’