University strikes: Why staff across the UK are taking industrial action

Tens of thousands of staff at 150 universities across the UK are on strike again, despite hopes of a breakthrough in talks.

Academic staff are walking out, as are those in other roles including librarians, technicians, security staff and catering workers.

The dispute is over pay, working conditions and pension cuts.

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) are striking on 20, 21 and 22 March.

The UCU initially announced 18 days of industrial action during February and March. It called off some of those dates after making "significant progress across a range of issues".

A revised offer was then made by employers in the dispute, but the union decided not to consult on it formally with its members.

The union has said it will re-ballot staff at 150 universities about further strike action if there is no resolution.

UCU staff also walked out in November 2022. Industrial action has been taking place at some universities since 2021.

UCU members at 83 universities are striking over pay and working conditions, five are striking over pensions and 62 are striking over both issues. You can read the full list here.

Unison members are striking on 20 and 21 March at Glasgow School of Art and Queen Margaret University and on 25 April at Arts University Bournemouth, after walking out in February.

Unite and EIS have also been on strike but do not have any further dates scheduled.

The Universities and College Employers Association (UCEA) says the strikes have caused "low and isolated" levels of disruption to students.

Universities UK (UUK), which represents 140 institutions, said some universities have extended coursework deadlines and rescheduled teaching.

If students feel the measures put in place are not good enough, they can use their university's existing complaints procedure.

The UCU says 70,000 staff have taken part in the strikes and they have been "overwhelmed by the support of thousands of students" who have joined picket lines.

Most staff are striking over pay and conditions.

For the 2022-23 pay round, the unions have asked for:

The unions said they were offered an improved pay deal for 2023-24 worth between 5% and 8% on 25 January, but this was a real-terms "pay cut".

The UCEA said it would begin implementing that 2023-24 pay uplift in March, despite talks stalling without an agreement on pay.

The UCU said progress had been made "across a range of subjects".

Some UCU members are also striking over pensions.

The dispute over pensions began more than a decade ago, but was reignited by the revaluation of the pension scheme used by staff at institutions that have had university status since before 1992.

The UCU says the revaluation of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) was "flawed" because it took place at the start of the pandemic, "when global markets were crashing", and recorded a deficit of £14.1bn.

Changes were introduced which meant pension contributions increased and future benefits were reduced.

According to the UCU, the average member "will lose 35% from their guaranteed future retirement income".

It says the scheme was more recently found to have a surplus of £1.8bn and is demanding that employers restore staff pension benefits.

Every year, a committee including trade union and employer representatives meets and decides on any changes to university workers' pay.

Most universities opt in to the negotiations, but they do not have to - they can make their own decisions.

The 2022-23 pay scale was implemented in August 2022.

The median salary for a professor is about £80,000, according to analysis of Higher Education Statistics Agency figures carried out by the UCEA employers' body. Some 25% of professor salaries are at or below about £70,000, the UCEA says.

However, the UCU says a third of academic staff are on temporary contracts and are paid hourly.

It says that casual staff only receive holiday entitlement based on the hours they work and have inadequate paid time to prepare for their classes.

Staff titles vary across institutions, and universities employ staff on different types of temporary contracts. Some academics say their salary is substantially less than the figures quoted.

The UCEA says any increase in pay "puts jobs at risk". Some 30% of universities are already in deficit.

It says the January 2023 offer is the highest higher education pay offer made in nearly 20 years, and was "a genuine attempt by employers to address cost-of-living pressures".

On pensions, UUK said it is working with the UCU ahead of the next pension scheme valuation.

It said that without the changes in pension benefits which have been introduced, employees would have had to pay much more in contributions.

Correction 25 January 2023: This article was amended with revised figures for professors' salaries after clarification from the UCEA.

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