Striking lecturers protest in Glasgow as 10 day walk out gets under way

Academics and support staff from the University and Colleges Union (UCU) at Glasgow and Strathclyde began a walk out over pay, pensions and working conditions.

The UCU claims that members of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) which manages pensions for people who work at universities across the UK could face losing up to 35% of their pensions due to proposals being put forward by Universities UK - the body which acts on behalf of all universities that would see the value of pensions for academics slashed.

Professor Phil Taylor from Strathclyde University’s UCU branch said that the scheme being proposed is tantamount to “theft.” He added: “Pensions are not a luxury, they are deferred wages. What the USS is proposing is nothing short of theft. There should be crime tape around every principal’s office.”

READ MORE: Glasgow and Strathclyde University lecturers start 10 day strike in row over pay and pensions

Jo Grady, general secretary of the UCU addresses the picket line at Glasgow University

However, the USS insists that the pension scheme is unsustainable. In a statement, the organisation said: “We understand the concerns of USS members, but the fundamental truth is that the price of promising a set, inflation-protected income for life in retirement – paid no matter what happens to the economy or the Higher Education sector in future – is much more expensive today than in the past.

“The decisions of our stakeholders, at the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC), respond to the challenges presented by long-term economic and demographic trends by slowing the pace at which USS pension promises build up in future.

“Under the changes proposed, USS would be among the relatively few private DB pension schemes in the country still open to new members and still offering valuable ‘guaranteed’ benefits to its members.”

After picket lines at their respective campuses, the striking lecturers made their way to the Buchanan Street steps for a rally.

Members and supporters of the UCU gathered on Buchanan Street for a rally earlier today

Laura Emanuela, an associate lecturer at the Open University based in Glasgow who said she does “not even have an office” to work from and hit out at the working conditions experienced in the sector. She said: “I have been teaching in higher and further education for five years and for each and every one of those years, I have been on strike. I have worked at three universities.

“I still do not have a permanent contract and I have always been paid less than minimum wage. At two universities, I was only given semester-long contracts with no idea if I would have a job come January - that is not a decent way to treat people who are the backbone of your university.”

“The temporary contracts and low pay mean it is overwhelmingly the most privileged who can climb the ivory tower. This has to stop and the only way to do this is to join UCU and fight for all of our rights to be valued at work.”

Students were also on hand making hot drinks and handing out baked goods to members of staff.

Students supported the staff this morning in Glasgow

READ MORE: Lecturers at Glasgow and Strathclyde universities to strike over pay and pensions

Alyssa Mills, a first-year International Relations student at Glasgow University said: “Students are the most affected when it comes to the working rights of university lecturers. It affects the quality of teaching for students as well.

“The way that things are can’t go on for much longer. It’s not sustainable and it’s not fair.”

President of the National Union of Students, Scotland, Matt Crilly also supported the strikers. He said: “What a way to treat the workers who have upheld our finest universities by cutting their pensions.

"It’s an absolute joke. As a student, I’ve seen my classes get bigger and bigger every single year and the same number of staff have to deliver those classes under more and more pressure.

“I’ve seen PhD students and researchers being among the most exploited workers in the country having to work from precarious contract to precarious contract, not knowing where their future is going.”

General secretary of the UCU Jo Grady, made the trip up from London last night to support Glasgow staff. She said: “Our union and members of this union saved lives during this pandemic. Certain parts of our membership who were producing scientific research.

“I know some of you will feel like this dispute is never ending. We’ve been in some form of dispute since 2011.

The UCU's Jo Grady

“During the pandemic, while you were working your a**** off to make sure we are there not just for each other but for our students, your employers were cooking up a scheme to cut 35% from the guaranteed benefit from your pension, to make sure that it wouldn’t be inflation-proof and to ensure it wouldn’t be attractive to precarious and low paid colleagues.”

Dave Moxham from the Scottish Trade Union Congress also led support from across the trade union movement. He said: “We know that your struggle is absolutely crucial. We look at those vice-chancellors, we look at that senior management who know the price of everything and the value of nothing.

"We in the broader trade union movement, know the value of a higher education system that can play an integral part in building a sustainable economic future.”

And political support came in the form of former Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard MSP. He said: “These university staff are simply standing up for their basic pension rights. University bosses want to cut their guaranteed pension by a massive 35 per cent.

"And as I’ve followed this dispute closely it’s clear that all along the line while the workers have been reasonable, the university authorities have been entirely unreasonable.

"That’s why I was keen to show my support on the picket line, to join UCU General Secretary, Jo Grady and UCU members at Glasgow University, they have my 100 per cent backing.”

A spokesperson for Glasgow University said: “The University regrets that UCU is proceeding with industrial action. We are still assessing the extent of the strike but it appears the large majority of staff will continue to work normally. We will do everything we can to minimise disruption to students during any action.”

A spokesperson for Strathclyde University said: “The University is making arrangements to minimise any disruption to our students during the course of national industrial action. We fully expect the majority of our classes to run as normal.”