University staff have voted overwhelmingly for UK-wide strike action in historic ballots over pay, working conditions, and pensions threatening to bring the sector "to a standstill". Members of university union the UCU, including those at all eight universities in Wales, took part in the ballots.
The historic result means more than 70,000 university staff at 150 universities across the UK could now strike. Universities pledged to minimise any possible disruption to students.
The UCU said it now has a mandate for strike action at practically every university in the UK. It urged vice chancellors to enter negotiations immediately and make improved offers in order to avoid disruption. University staff were offered a below-inflation 3% pay rise but the union said the sector could easily afford more.
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Announcing the result UCU general secretary Jo Grady threatened to bring “every university in the UK to a standstill” unless employers take the threat seriously. The window for negotiations was short.
More than eight in 10 members who voted supported strike action. Staff were balloted across two separate ballots: one on pay and working conditions and another on cuts to pensions.
On pay and working conditions the ballot saw a 57.8% turn out with 81.8% saying they were prepared to take strike action. In the pay and conditions ballot the union’s demands include “a meaningful pay rise to deal with the cost of living crisis”. Staff were offered a 3% pay rise this year while one in three academic staff are on some form of temporary contract.
On cuts to the USS pension scheme there was a 60.2% turnout with 84.9% saying they were prepared to take strike action. The UCU said pension cuts could see members lose 35% of the value of their pensions.
The union is demanding employers withdraw their cuts to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) and restore benefits to 2021 levels. In the pension ballot UCU is demanding employers revoke the 35% cut they made earlier this year to the guaranteed retirement income of the average member. Some newer universities, including Cardiff Metropolitan, University of South Wales, and Wrexham Glyndwr, have different pension schemes so members at those were only balloted on pay and conditions.
The UCU is now the only union to secure a national mandate for action in the education sector since the anti-trade union laws were passed in 2016. Teachers and head teachers in Wales will ballot on potential strike and action short of strike later this month.
In a statement the UCU said the UK university sector can “more than afford to meet staff demands” saying it had generated record income of £41.1bn last year with vice chancellors earning collectively an estimated £45m. University employers’ offers of a 3% pay increase amounts to merely an additional £600m in staff costs, the union calculated.
The UCU's higher education committee will meet on November 3 to decide how to "pressure employers to begin meaningful negotiations”. Ms Grady said: “Today history has been made by our members in universities who in huge numbers have delivered an unprecedented mandate for strike action. The vice chancellors who run universities have repeatedly and in a coordinated fashion come after our members.
"Well now it’s 150 bosses against 70,000 university workers who are ready and willing to bring the entire sector to a standstill if serious negotiations don’t start very soon. University staff are crucial workers in communities up and down the UK. They are sending a clear message that they will not accept falling pay, insecure employment, and attacks on pensions. They know their power and are ready to take back what is theirs from a sector raking in tens of billions of pounds.” The UCU has more than 129,000 members – academics and support staff – at universities across the UK with 4,000 new recruits ahead of the ballot.
Universities respond
Responding to the results Cardiff University said: “We are disappointed with the outcome of the UK-wide ballot, which means if industrial action goes ahead most universities will be impacted. Whilst we respect the right of staff to take part in industrial action our priority remains to provide education for our students. It’s not yet clear what form and when action will take place, however we can assure students that we will do everything possible to minimise the disruption to their studies.”
Universities UK, which represents employing universities, said in a statement: “We understand that the ballot results may leave students concerned about the impact that potential industrial action could have on their degrees. Universities are adept at mitigating the impact of strikes on student learning and so prepared for any further possible industrial action over the coming months. Universities will put in place a series of measures to minimise the impact of any industrial action on students, other staff, and the wider community. "
On pensions it insisted: "Employer contributions to USS pensions, which rose to 21.6% of salary in April, are among the highest in the country and at the very limit of affordability. This contribution rise, together with the significant covenant commitments made by employers, lessened the benefit reforms and avoided huge cost increases for both employers and staff in the last scheme valuation.
"This support from employers alongside the effects of rising interest rates on the scheme explains why USS now appears to be in better financial shape. The USS Trustee will conduct a full valuation scheduled for March 2023, at which point stakeholders will be able to consider any improvements to the scheme which could be made in a sustainable way.
"However, at this time and in the current volatile economic climate, the USS trustee insists that there is no solid evidence or basis to establish a long-term view of any substantive improvement in the scheme’s funding position. We continue to meet union and USS representatives regularly. Should UCU decide to take industrial action, unfortunately this is likely to impede joint working on the next valuation and delay much-needed changes such as governance reform of the scheme and the introduction of lower cost options for members.”
A spokesman for Aberystwyth University said: “Decisions on annual pay increases and USS pension contributions are made at a UK level. However, as a university, we are very aware of the financial pressures on staff as well as students in the current cost of living crisis. We awarded most staff a 3% annual pay increase in August 2022 in line with the offer made by the universities employers’ association, UCEA, with some staff on lower incomes qualifying for additional increases. The pay increase was made in the context of a very tight budgetary situation and significant cost pressures. It recognised the need for the university to maintain affordable, sustainable spending plans and to protect jobs as well as our teaching and research operations. We will continue to engage constructively with our union colleagues and do all we can to mitigate the impacts of any industrial action that may occur as a result of this UK-wide vote.”
Staff at the following universities in Wales were balloted over pay and conditions and cuts to the USS pension:
- Aberystwyth
- Bangor
- Cardiff
- Swansea
- University of Wales Trinity St David
Staff at the following universities were balloted over pay and conditions only (they have a different pension scheme):
- Cardiff Metropolitan
- University of South Wales
- Wrexham
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