Staff at 140 universities across the UK will strike for five days later this month in a long-running dispute over pay and working conditions, including at the University of Southampton and Solent, the University and College Union (UCU) has announced. Photo: UCU
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The long-running dispute centres on what UCU says are low pay and working conditions.
The union is also demanding action on gig-economy employment practices and high workloads
It says that its analysis of universities, meanwhile, shows the sector generated more money than ever last year while the proportion going to staff fell to a record low.
UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “We are left with no option but to strike during the start of term because our members refuse to stand by while pay is eroded and staff are shunted onto gig-economy contracts.”
Quoted by the Guardian, Raj Jethwa, the Universities and Colleges Employers Association’s chief executive, said it welcomed the vote by UCU members to end their marking and assessment boycott, but described the strike at the start of term as “disappointing”.
More details of the action on UCU’s website.