Five more days of strike action confirmed in Cambridge

A press release by the University and College Union (UCU) confirmed today (04/03) that the University of Cambridge would face five more days of strike action over the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) and Four Fights disputes. The strike action will begin on Monday, 21 March and continue until Friday, 25 March.

However, these dates for the strikes fall outside the term dates published by the University of Cambridge.

They follow 10 cumulative days of strikes in Lent in Cambridge, which took place from 14th to 18th February, 21st to 22nd February, and 28th February to 2nd March.

The press release asserts that further action has been called “after employers forced through pension cuts and refused to negotiate meaningfully over pay and working conditions.” It also claims that estimated staff pay has fallen “by 25.5 per cent in real terms since 2009,” using new estimates of RPI inflation (7.8 per cent).

UCU general secretary Dr. Jo Grady claimed that “Vice-Chancellors could easily end this dispute and prevent further disruption in our universities, but they would rather attack the pensions, pay and working conditions of their own staff and damage the sector at the same time.”

Dr. Grady also claimed, “There is no justification whatsoever for slashing staff pensions or refusing to take action over falling pay, shocking equality pay gaps, rampant casualisation and unsafe workloads.”

Due to the nature of Cambridge’s collegiate system, supervisions and collegiate teaching will not be affected by the strikes, as with previous instances of industrial action.

The University of Cambridge was contacted for comment.

Feature image credits: Vedika Mandapati