Strikes begin at universities in pensions row

● Workers plan 14 days of action ● 145,000 students to be affected

The first in a series of strikes by university workers has been held across Scotland in a bitter row over pensions.

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) are planning 14 days of action in the coming weeks.

The UCU said more than 145,000 students will be affected by the strikes, with ten institutions ultimately taking part.

The dispute centres on proposals put forward by Universities UK for changes to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS).

Employers argue the pension scheme is £6 billion in deficit, while the union says the proposals would leave a typical lecturer almost £10,000 a year worse off in retirement.

A recent ballot saw more than four-fifths of UCU members back strike action in a 63 per cent turnout in Scotland.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn

0 Workers from ten universities are taking part in strike action over the coming weeks has sent “solidarity and thanks” to university workers while Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard visited the picket line at the University of Glasgow.

He said: “The Universities Superannuation Scheme needs to be properly funded and University employers need to be prepared to negotiate with the UCU to keep the Universities Defined Benefit Scheme open.”

St Andrews University said the “vast majority” of the institution was working normally yesterday, with 250 of 2100 staff having voted to strike.

In Glasgow, those taking part in strikes across the cities universities gathered for a rally in Buchanan Street at midday.

Staff are striking yesterday and today this week and Monday to Wednesday next week.

Further strike action is also planned for Monday 5 March through to Thursday 8 March, followed by a five-day walk out commencing on Monday 12 March and ending on Friday 16 March.

They are among 64 UK universities to be hit by strikes.

Due to academic timetabling, union members at the universities of Edinburgh and Stirling are not taking part in the action this week, but will participate in all the other strike dates and are also set to walk out on Monday 19 and Tuesday 20 March.

UCU Scotland official Mary Senior said: “Nobody wants to take strike action, but staff across Scotland feel they have nochoice.thesehardlineproposals would slash staff pensions and are simply uncalled for. It is staggering that the universities have refused to engage with the union and a real insult to staff and to students.”

Universities UK said it has met UCU over 35 times in the last year to discuss reforms.

A spokesman said there are scheduled discussions with UCU on key issues with the USS.