University strike: Sheffield Hallam University staff join five-day strike over pay and working conditions

The University and College Union (UCU) said members would be on picket lines on every day of action today, tomorrow and then Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday wext week.

Their demand includes a £2,500 pay rise for all university employees, joining staff from 44 other universities, including the University of Sheffield, that walked out last week over a 35 per cent cut to their guaranteed pension income.

On Friday, students at the University of Sheffield occupied the Diamond building, in support of the ongoing staff strikes and to protest the Archaeology department closure.

It was the fourth university building to be occupied and subsequently closed last week, along with the Hicks building, Jessop West, and the Arts Tower. There were also claims over the weekend that the students had occupied Firth Court.

In total, 68 universities nationwide are being hit with strike action lasting up to 10 days.

The UCU estimates staff pay has fallen by more than a quarter (25.5) per cent in real terms since 2009.

According to the UCU, over 70,000 academics are employed on insecure contracts and university employer representative, the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), has refused to budge on its offer of a ‘paltry’ 1.5 per cent increase on existing salaries for 2021/22.

Meanwhile, the gender pay gap in UK universities sits at 16 per cent, whilst the disability pay gap is nine per cent and the race pay gap is up to 17 per cent, it is claimed.

Staff are also said to be experiencing a crisis of work-related stress with over half showing probable signs of depression.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “While the university sector continues to bring in tens of billions of pounds each year, the staff who make it work have been forced to endure 13 years of real-term pay cuts and the indignity of trying to make ends meet on exploitative and insecure contracts.

“Vice-chancellors on eye-watering salaries have serious questions to answer as to why they have allowed staff pay to fall by over 25 per cent since 2009, further exposing them to the cost of living crisis.

“Staff aren’t asking for the world, they want secure contracts, decent pay, manageable workloads and for employers to end their vindictive attacks on pensions. But instead of listening to the longstanding concerns of their own workforce, employers have pushed them to breaking point and now half are reporting signs of depression.

“During these strikes the support of students has been overwhelming. In their thousands they have lobbied their vice chancellors and we are proud that on Wednesday, March 2 they will be taking UK-wide strike action alongside staff. It’s high-time this world-leading sector stopped dining off the good will and dedication of its staff and started treating them with dignity.”

Staff are also engaged in action short of a strike, which involves working strictly to contract, not covering for absent colleagues, not rescheduling lectures or classes cancelled due to strike action, or undertaking any voluntary activities. UCEA has authorised bosses to withhold the pay of staff taking action short of a strike.

On the pension dispute, UCU is due to meet employer representatives Universities UK (UUK) tomorrow.

NEWS: Students set to occupy two University of Sheffield buildings for 10 days in protest