Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Uni staff strike over pensions
Lecturers set to begin five-day walkout
NORTHERN Ireland’s two main universities are facing 13 days of strike action in a row over pensions.
A five-day walkout by lecturers at Queen’s and Ulster University is due to begin today, while a further eight days of disruption is planned for next month.
The University College Union accused bosses of “bare-faced hypocrisy” amid revelations more top managers than ever at Queen’s are earning salaries of between £100,000 and £250,000.
It said the Uk-wide industrial action is the biggest to hit the higher education sector with 88% of members voting in favour.
The UFU predicted pension changes will leave a typical lecturer almost £10,000 a year worse off in retirement. A spokesman said: “It’s just not credible for management to tell staff to tighten their belts – that we should just grin and bear cuts to our pensions of up to 55% – while they’re awarding an increasingly bloated leadership structure wages between five and 10 times the Northern Irish average.
“Managers are continually complaining about university coffers, but more than 90 of them think it’s OK to take salaries in excess of £100k, with some in excess of £200k.”
A Queen’s spokesman said: “The university does not support industrial action and will be taking all necessary steps to ensure that it is business as usual with minimal impact.”
An Ulster University spokesman added: “We are committed to find a solution which is equitable for both the university and its employees.”