University academics to go on strike again next month

UNIVERSITY academics and support staff are to stage a second national one-day strike on Tuesday, December 3 in a row over pay, it has been announced.

By The Newsroom

Published 13th Nov 2013, 00:01 BST

Institutions across the UK could be affected by the walkout, which will involve four unions – the University and College Union (UCU), Unison, Unite and the Scottish education union EIS.

The dispute centres on a one per cent pay rise offered to university staff – including lecturers, technicians and administration workers – which, the unions insist, means there has been a 13 per cent pay cut in real terms since October 2008.

The university employers organisation, UCEA, said a total of 378,250 people work in the sector and of these 29,538, or 7.8 per cent, voted from the three British unions. Around 17,800 voted in favour of strike action.

Members of three unions – UCU, Unison and Unite – took part in a one-day walkout on October 31.