Uni Lecturers in eight-day strike over pay

Lecturers at Stirling University are in the midst of an eight-day strike in a row over pay and pensions.

Members of the University and Colleges Union (UCU) are taking action in two separate disputes, one regarding pensions and the other on pay and conditions. Earlier this month, members backed strike action in ballots over issue.

As well as eight strike days, union members will begin‘action short of a strike’, including working strictly to contract, not covering for absent colleagues and refusing to reschedule lectures lost to strike action.

The UCU’s Scotland official Mary Senior said: “Strike action is always the last resort, but universities’refusal to deal with the key issues of increased pension costs, pay and working conditions leave no alternative. It is unbelievable that universities have not done more to work with us to try and find a way to resolve these disputes.

“We’re asking students to call on university principals to get their representatives back to negotiating table for serious talks.”

Mid Scotland and Fife Green MSP, Mark Ruskell joined Green General Election candidate Bryan Quinn at the picket line on Monday morning as did Labour candidate Mary Kate Ross.

Mr Quinn said:“We joined staff on strike today to show solidarity. I was a student at Stirling until last year and was appalled by the number of lecturers I had on temporary contracts. The changes to pensions and the poor conditions are driving many away from careers in education and if it does not improve our education will suffer.”

A spokesperson for Stirling University said: “We want to see a sustainable solution to this national dispute over pensions and pay and, in the interim, are doing all that we can to ensure there is minimal overall disruption for the university community and to the learning and teaching experience of our students in particular.”