UK Lecturers to Go on another 1-Day National Strike over 1% increase

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

Institutions across the UK could be affected by the walkout, which is being taken by 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.

UCU, whose members have been working to contract since the beginning of the month, said it had written to employers yesterday asking for dates to be set for talks aimed at resolving the dispute.

Michael MacNeil, UCU's head of higher education, said: "Staff have suffered year-on-year cuts in the value of their pay and have made it clear that enough is enough.

"We remain committed to trying to resolve this dispute and the employers now have until 3 December to sit down and positively engage with the unions. If they don't, then our members and those from our sister unions will be out on strike again, as well as continuing to work to contract."

At the time the unions announced plans to ballot members for strike action, the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), which represents and negotiates on behalf of universities as employers, said it was "disappointed" with the move.

It has said that, on top of the one per cent general pay rise, many university staff get other contributions which will increase pay by three per cent overall.
More: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/university-staff-plan-second-one-day-2783942