University of Plymouth staff set to walk out this week in pensions row
STAFF at the University of Plymouth are to walk out on strike later this week in a bitter row over pensions.
Workers at Cornwall College's Saltash base are also set for what will be the first UK-wide strike action by lecturers for five years.
-
The 'day of action' on Thursday has been planned by the University and College Union (UCU).
Union chiefs say more than a million students will be disrupted.
Members are campaigning against moves to raise the retirement age for academics, increase contributions and end the final salary pension scheme.
Staff at 47 universities – not including any city-based institutions – were also poised to walk out for 24 hours today as anger grows at the plans, originally set to come into force on April 1.
Neither the University of Plymouth or Cornwall College were able to say how many employees would be striking on Thursday.
But around 60 per cent of lecturers nation-wide are UCU members, a union spokesman told The Herald.
Only a small number of Cornwall College workers are expected to strike, causing minimal disruption to teaching, said a spokeswoman.
But the University of Plymouth has cancelled vice-chancellor Wendy Purcell's planned public address, which was due to conclude its Festival of Research.
UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said the action could still be averted through talks with university and college employers.
It follows a vote last week among UCU members of the Universities Superannuation Scheme pension scheme, following which Ms Hunt wrote to the Employers Pension Forum (EPF) to request urgent talks through arbitration service ACAS.
She said yesterday that no response had been received.
"University staff really value their pension rights and have made their views of the detrimental changes crystal clear," Ms Hunt said.
"Strike action is always a last resort. We can avoid widespread disruptions on campus, but both sides must be prepared to go that extra mile and move quickly."
Other unions, including the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, are preparing to ballot members on possible strike action over pensions.
EPF chairman professor Brian Cantor added: "The union is ignoring the past three years' of negotiations."
11 Comments
View all
by tinks, devon
Wednesday, March 23 2011, 1:55AM
“Wonder if there will be support from the students for the walkout. There was no support of them when the fee increase took place! And where were they when VC Purcell took her 80k pay rise. Oh hang on..something that affects THEM...ahhh that explains it then. not a nice feeling is it you Lecturers being screwed over welcome to our world. Do you have my support..NO YOU DON'T”
by Walter, Close by
Tuesday, March 22 2011, 10:23PM
“Strike. excellent idea”
by David, Plymouth
Tuesday, March 22 2011, 9:34PM
“Here we go again. Yet minority another group of public servants holding the taxpayers to ransom because they have the power ( but absolutely not the right ) to do so.
Where have these "academics" been living for the last 10 years. MILLIONS of private sector workers have had to put up with these changes and have not been able to disrupt the country because they are not in unions, or their employers do not recognise unions. These millions who have suffered are the ones paying the salaries and a large percentage of the pensions that these academics enjoy.
Do they really expect 20 million people to put their hands in their pockets and pay them more out of sympathy? We really can not afford to have our earnings milked anymore by these minority groups.
UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said "University staff really value their pension rights and have made their views of the detrimental changes crystal clear" .
What the hell does she think the rest of us feel about having to pay more for our pensions, having them reduced and so having to work longer?
It is now a fact that pensions in the PUBLIC SECTOR are greater than those in the PRIVATE SECTOR.
See fuller comments on http://grumpy-old-frt.blogspot.com/”
by John, Plymouth
Tuesday, March 22 2011, 4:24PM
“So why do these privileged people (they have a very rewarding and enjoyable job) believe that I should pay for them to have a pension that I can only dream of? The standard reply that they have paid in for it will not do. They have never paid enough to buy such an amazing deal. And why should they not retire at the same age as those who work in the private sector, and who pay their salaries and pensions? The divide between public sector and private sector has to end. The last government didn't have the balls to tackle it. Thank goodness this one does.”
by Houdini, devon
Tuesday, March 22 2011, 10:43AM
“Unfortunately, these changes will happen regardless of any action. With few trasferrable skills (HE qualifications and teaching qualifications are different animals), I think there will be dark clouds on the horizon for many.”
by S, Plymouth
Tuesday, March 22 2011, 10:33AM
“These people are surposed to be academics, just do the maths, they retire well before the state retirement age, are lucky enough to have final salary schemes, pay very little of thier income into the scheme ( most of the contributions are paid by the tax payer) and we are all living longer.”
by David, St Austell
Tuesday, March 22 2011, 10:24AM
“I thought these people were intelligent. Surely it doesn't take a very high IQ to work out that with an ever incresing aged population the retirement age must increase and the final salary based pensions are no longer affordable. Any young student could work that out so join the real world and stop whinging.”
by Stuart, Plymouth
Tuesday, March 22 2011, 10:22AM
“lol true but what scmhuck would place all eggs in such a specialised narrow basket............”
by jolly roger, devon
Tuesday, March 22 2011, 10:02AM
“Should be ok if there's a big uptake for the GCSE in Glaciation.....”
by Stuart, Plymouth
Tuesday, March 22 2011, 9:28AM
“All bets are off, at least they have a skill base that can enable them to 1-2-1 tuition for £20-30 an hour when retired.”