Leeds university staff join three day strike over pay and conditions
Staff at the University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett will walk out for three days at the start of December
Staff at the University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett University are set to strike next month over pensions, pay and working conditions.
The University and College Union says members will walk out between December 1st and 3rd following votes in favour of industrial action.
58 universities across the UK will be hit by the strikes before the Christmas break.
The union has also warned more could take place in the spring, if the row with employers remains unresolved.
What's it all about?
Earlier this month, UCU members backed strike action in two separate disputes, one on pensions and one on pay and working conditions.
Overall, 76% of UCU members who voted backed strike action over changes to pensions.
In the ballot on pay and conditions, 70% votes to take action.
They'll also work strictly to contract from December the 1st, refusing an additional responsibilities.
This is set to go on indefinitely for the five months staff have a mandate to take industrial action for, UCU has said.
General secretary Dr Jo Grady said: "Strikes over three consecutive days are set to hit university campuses next month unless employers get round the table and take staff concerns over pension cuts, pay and working conditions seriously.
"UCU has repeatedly asked employers to meet with us to try to resolve these disputes. But while we set out pragmatic solutions that could halt widespread disruption to UK campuses, university bosses refuse to revoke unnecessary, swingeing pension cuts or even to negotiate on issues like casualisation and the unbearably high workloads that blight higher education.
"A resolution to this dispute is simple. But if employers remain intent on slashing pensions and exploiting staff who have kept this sector afloat during a pandemic then campuses will face strike action before Christmas, which will escalate into spring with reballots and further industrial action."
The UCU claims that cuts to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) pensions scheme would reduce the guaranteed retirement income of a typical member by 35%.
It has also suggested that pay for university staff fell by 17.6% relative to inflation between 2009 and 2019, and since then employers have made below-inflation offers, with the latest worth 1.5%.