Pension row strike hits universities across Wales
Strikes take place at universities across Wales today as academic staff who are members of the UCU walk out over proposed changes to their pensions. Education editor Abbie Wightwick looks at why the strike is happening and what all sides are saying...
Why are changes to lecturers’ pensions being proposed?
Universities UK, which represents the sector, says it must act to plug a multi-billon pound hole in the pension pot.
It said in a statement: “The USS pension scheme has a deficit of £6.1bn and the cost of future pensions benefits has increased by one third since 2014.
To maintain current benefits overall contributions would have to increase by approximately £1bn every year.
We hope that employees recognise that changes are necessary to put the scheme on a secure footing, and that the proposed strike action will only serve to unfairly disrupt students’ education.
“Universities are committed to making pensions contributions of 18% of salaries. This allows them to continue to offer attractive and sustainable pensions to their employees under the proposed changes to USS.
“Universities UK met with UCU over 35 times during the last year in an attempt to find a joint solution to address this deficit and the significant rise in future pension costs. Unfortunately, the only proposal put forward by UCU would have led to unaffordable contributions for employees and employers. The UCU proposal would necessitate large cuts to budgets in other areas such as teaching and research, and put many jobs at risk.
“Faced with a strict legal deadline of June 30 to make the scheme sustainable, the Joint Negotiating Committee – the formal and legally established forum for deciding changes to USS – recommended the employers’ proposal to reform benefits with the chair’s casting vote decisive.
“Employers will be launching a consultation on the proposed changes on 19 March. This is the opportunity for members and their union representatives to express their views on what we believe would be a valuable defined contribution pension saving, offering quality, flexibility and choice.”
What are lecturers and the union saying about this?
Members of the UCU say the plans to end the defined benefit element of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) pension scheme would leave a typical lecturer almost £10,000 a year worse off in retirement than under the current set-up.
THE UCU, whose members have voted to strike, says it will meet on March 2 to consider universities’ response to the first wave of strikes.
It hopes no universities want a prolonged dispute that drags out towards exam season, but warns members are determined to fight for what they consider fair pensions.
“The universities’ representatives – Universities UK – are seeking to push through the changes and have refused to negotiate with UCU. This has left members with no alternative but to strike,” the union said in a statement.
In the recent strike ballot UCU members across the UK overwhelmingly backed industrial action. More than 88% of members who voted backed strike action. The turnout was 58% and staff at 61 universities are walking out.
In Wales UCU members are striking at Cardiff, Bangor and Aberystwyth universities. A ballot of Swansea University members did not receive enough support for strike action there. Pension schemes are different at the newer universities so no action is being taken by members at the University of Wales, Wrexham Glyndwr. At the University of Wales trinity St David the members striking will not affect student work, a UCU representative said.
UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said: ‘We deliberately announced these strike dates to give universities time to come back
round the table with us and get this mess sorted out. They have refused to do so and want to impose their reforms on staff.
“Unsurprisingly staff are angry and significant disruption on campuses across the UK now looks inevitable.”
What do students paying hefty tuition fees think?
Thousands of students have signed petitions demanding compensation from their universities in Wales for tuition paid for but which won’t be delivered during the strike. Some signatories have expressed support for the strike and a Facebook page in support of lecturers taking action has been set up by Bangor University students. Here are some of their comments:
The Bangor University students petition demanding compensation has more than 2,000 signatures. It says: “Based on £9,000 a year tuition fees, with the strike lasting the full 14 days, students are set to lose £840 each (£300 paid for every five day week). With approximately 11,000 students across the Bangor and Wrexham Campus, this equates to the university paying out roughly £9,240,000.”
Bangor University students’ “Support Our Lecturers” Facebook page says: “The money lost is the difference between a comfy retirement, and one where lecturers struggle for essentials.
“I’m sure everyone here has had support from staff in one sense or another, and now it’s a chance to support them.”
Samuel Veal, organiser of the Cardiff University students petition, which, has more than 4,000 signatures, has emailed the university vice chancellor Professor Coin Riordan saying: “If the University wants to run education as a business, then yes, they should compensate students lost lecture and interaction time. Maybe if they are hit financially, they might start listening to the academic staff and the travesty that is the new pension deal on offer.
“After all what is a university without motivated academic staff?”
The Aberystywth University students’ petition has 96 signatures. It says: “The university will still be receiving the money that we are paying for our tuition, but not paying the staff that are on strike. This means that the university are profiting from our loss.”
What are universities in Wales doing to offset any disruption?
Aberystwyth University: “As always, our focus is on safeguarding our students’ learning experience. All University buildings will be open as usual and through careful contingency planning, we are doing all we can to minimise any disruption or disadvantage to students at this time.
“We respect the right of individual members of staff to go on strike. Universities UK (UUK) is leading negotiations on behalf of employers and consultation on the proposed changes is due to start on March 19 2018 with all members of the USS pension scheme.”
Bangor University: “Bangor University will remain open during this period, and it is also doing everything possible to reduce any possible impact the strike could have on students. The University is keen for there to be a rapid negotiated settlement to this dispute.”
Cardiff University: “We are committed to ensuring student learning is kept on track and will be taking all reasonable measures to ensure that students have continued opportunities to demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes attached to modules and programmes of study.
“The university is doing everything possible to ensure that there is minimal impact on teaching and learning.
“The vice-chancellor has exercised the authority he has under Senate Regulations that allow him to permit changes to teaching and assessment arrangements where exceptional circumstances disrupt the activities of the university.
“Measures will include re-providing learning opportunities where appropriate, consideration of variations to assessment and where appropriate the application of extenuating circumstances at examination boards.
“A student wishing to pursue a complaint will need to follow the university’s complaints procedure and will need to demonstrate that the university has failed to take reasonable steps to provide them with an opportunity to demonstrate achievement of module and programme learning outcomes.”
What dates are the strike planned for?
14 days of escalating strikes over a four week period will begin with a walkout today and tomorrow – February 22 and 23 – followed by February 26,27 and 28 and March 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15 and Friday 16.