Dundee and St Andrews university staff protested outside their institutions to kick off three weeks of strike action over pensions and pay.
Staff across eight Universities in Scotland walked out on Monday over a decision to cut the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), a change that impacts university workers across the UK.
The University and College Union (UCU) say the USS Employers proposals will see the average university worker lose 35% of their pension each year in retirement.
Over the next week, university workers at both Dundee University and St Andrews University will strike for five days over the pension scheme.
Next week, strikes will continue at the universities in a dispute over pay and working conditions for two weeks.
These people literally don’t care what happens after I turn 65, we’re just going to be disposed of like an old rag.
Senor lecturer in History at Dundee University, Martine Van Ittersum
Branch Secretary of Dundee UCU, Ian Ellis, said most Dundee University workers voted in favour of strike action.
‘We need financial stability’
Ian, who is a senior lecturer in dental skills, said: “Our university management is not listening to its staff.
“A lot of people are struggling and we lose a lot of staff because we need financial stability.”
Senor lecturer in History at Dundee University, Martine Van Ittersum, said she was “disappointed” in the proposed decision.
“It’s very disappointing. I should have been teaching my level one tutorial today,” Martine said.
“I told the students last week I’m not going to be here and in a certain way I feel guilty; I don’t take pleasure in this. I’d rather be in the class room but I’m not going to roll over.
“These people literally don’t care what happens after I turn 65, we’re just going to be disposed of like an old rag.”
Ian Swift, who also works in IT at the university said: “For higher education to survive, it needs to have people working in it. Taking the pensions away, pay going down in real terms, massive pay gaps, it’s not going to attract people.
“Without the students who are here joining us on the picket lines today there is no future of higher education.”
‘Their working conditions are our learning conditions’
Dundee University students Jazmine Bennett and Zoe Tuset joined the workers on the picket line.
Jazmine said: “I think the way that the staff are being treat is awful in terms of fix-term contracts. They’ve been overworked [and] pensions are at risk.
“They’re working conditions are our learning conditions and if someone’s pension is being cut and they’re getting burnt out, it’s kind of human empathy to support this sort of thing.”
Zoe said: “We’re paying a lot of money for universities not to pay our lecturers enough and we want them to have the rights and pensions they deserve.”
What do strikers want?
- UCU is demanding employers revoke the cuts to staff pensions and accept a compromise proposed by the union.
- £2,500 pay increase for all staff.
- Action to tackle unmanageable workloads, pay inequality and the use of “insecure and exploitative” contracts.
Mary Senior, Scotland official UCU, said “We’ve had strong picket lines at the universities of Dundee and St Andrews, along with support from local students.
“University employers have under-estimated staff, and they have under-estimated workers’ anger at these swingeing cuts to their pensions.
“Employer proposals will see the average university worker lose 35% of their pension each year in retirement, so it is hardly surprising that workers are opposing these brutal cuts.
“UCU put forward alternate proposals last month to avoid the pension cuts, and employers now need to do the right thing, scrap their cuts and implement UCU’s plans.”
Negotiations to be had at national level
Both Dundee and St Andrews University said the national dispute around pensions and pay can only be resolved at a national level but will provide support to students throughout the strikes.
A USS Employers spokesperson said: “We understand the concerns of USS members, but the fundamental truth is that the price of promising a set, inflation-protected income for life in retirement – paid no matter what happens to the economy or the Higher Education sector in future – is much more expensive today than in the past.
“The decisions made by our stakeholders, at the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) in September 2021, respond to the challenges presented by long-term economic and demographic trends by slowing the pace at which USS pension promises build up in future.
The Student Experience is out in full force on St Andrews’ pickets this morning 👏 Overwhelming demonstrations of student-staff solidarity ✊ #WeAreTheUniversity #OneOfUsAllOfUs pic.twitter.com/qALvh53sZc
— UCU St Andrews (@ucustandrews) February 14, 2022
“Under the changes proposed, USS would be among the relatively few private DB pension schemes in the country still open to new members and still offering valuable ‘guaranteed’ benefits to its members.”
A spokesperson for Dundee University said: “We will do all we can to mitigate any impact on students, who do not deserve to have their studies affected by industrial action.”
A St Andrews University spokesperson said: “We hope that those staff who choose to exercise their right to take industrial action do so in ways which reflect their deep commitment to our student community.
St Andrews Classics picket. #USSstrikes #OneOfUsAllOfUs @ucustandrews: Student support has been amazing today. Thank you. pic.twitter.com/o50cU1d7XP
— Henry Stead (@henrystead) February 14, 2022
“Students everywhere have borne a disproportionate burden through the pandemic, and it will be disappointing and concerning to many that UCU has decided to call for strike action just as higher education across the UK returns to normal.”
In November, Dundee University workers went on strike for three weeks over proposed changes to the University of Dundee Superannuation Scheme (UoDSS) which is separate to the national issue staff are currently striking over.
Dundee University has confirmed that discussions around UoDSS, are “continuing” after strike action was suspended to allow talks to take place.
