Lectures cancelled?!?!

Cambridge University is one of the 61 universities across the country who will take industrial action following a nationwide ballot from the University and College Union (UCU).

57.5% of members from the University voted on the ballot. 89.4% of those eligible to vote supported potential strike action and 95.8% expressed support of action that was not quite a strike. The result reflected national statistics with the turnout being 58% and 88% voting to back strikes nationally.

Sidgwick site could end up being pretty empty, but not for the happiest of reasons.

The reason behind the protests is the UUK's proposal to replace defined benefit pension schemes with the risker defined contribution pension scheme. This means that pension income would no longer be guaranteed but would be dependent on returns from stock market investments. Discontent is further heightened by the Vice-Chancellor's high salary.

There will be fourteen days of strike action over February and March. The first walkout will be on February 22nd and 23rd followed by a 3 day stoppage between February 26th and 28th. Then in March there will be a four-day walkout from March 5th to 8th. Strike action is planned for a full week from Monday March 12th to Friday March 16th.

Sally Hunt, the general secretary of UCU has commented 'Strike action on this scale has not been seen before on UK campuses, but universities need to know the full scale of the disruption they will be hit with if they refuse to sort this mess out.'

A University spokesperson told The Tab that it 'understands the concern that members of the USS (Universities Superannuation Scheme) have about the 2017 valuation, and we respect UCU's right to ballot as members.'

They went on to say 'The University is considering a range of precautionary measures to minimise any disruption it its day-to-day operations.' So maybe you'll have your lectures after all. But whatever the effect the strike has on academic life, let's hope it allows the voices of staff to be heard.