‘General strike’ fears growing as university staff announce walkouts

FEARS of a ‘general strike’ on February 1 grew last night after a university union announced that more than 70,000 staff will take part in a series of walkouts over seven weeks.

Staff across 150 universities in the UK will strike over 18 days of action in February and March, the University and College Union (UCU) confirmed.

It will be the biggest series of strikes ever to hit British university campuses if they go ahead, the union said.

Disgruntled staff will join hundreds of thousands of teachers, train drivers and civil servants also walking out on February 1.

General secretary Jo Grady said the union will re-ballot members ‘to allow action to continue through the rest of the academic year’ if a deal is not reached.

She said: ‘There is a clear route out of these disputes, but at present vice-chancellors lack the political will to take it. They are failing staff who want to get back to work, and students who want to get on with their studies.

‘Students understand that staff working conditions are their learning conditions – a system that relies on low pay and the rampant use of insecure contracts is a system which fails everyone.

‘A resolution can be reached, but that is in the gift of university vice-chancellors who need to urgently reassess their priorities and deliver a deal that benefits staff and students.’

The union says employers need to improve on a pay offer worth 4-5 per cent to avoid disruption.

But the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) has said that the current offer is worth up to 7 per cent.

Raj Jethwa, UCEA chief executive, said: ‘This is the highest HE pay offer made in nearly 20 years – we hope that our proposals will be recognised as a genuine attempt by employers to address cost of living pressures.’

Schools also face strike chaos due to union guidance which tells members they do not have to inform school leaders they are walking out.

Teachers have no ‘ legal obligation’ to tell heads they plan to strike, the National Education Union (NEU) has said.

It means headteachers may find it harder to work out whether they have enough staff to keep schools open. But last night, Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, called on school leaders to inform parents ahead of February 1 if they plan to shut their doors.

She said: ‘ They know how many NEU members are in their school – and they have to make their decision on the basis that the union has called its members out and the members will take action.’

‘Highest pay offer in nearly 20 years’