These Cardiff third years have started a petition to get compensation from the university because of the strikes

Cardiff University history students Sam Veal and Katie Walters, have started a campaign asking that students be appropriately compensated for the upcoming lecturer strikes.

The planned strikes over pensions will affect thousands at universities across the UK, sparking a number of petitions demanding that students are reimbursed not only financially, but also for the lost contact hours.

The petition which currently has over 2000 signatures, can be found here.

Cardiff University, Cathays campus

The University and College Union (UCU) said the walkouts would start on 22 February and will be spread over four weeks, whilst the university has stated that its priority is to assure that there is "minimum impact" on learning.

In an interview with The Tab Cardiff, Katie, 20, stressed that their petition, which now has over 1000 signatures, is about more than just getting a refund for tuition.

"We don't want the financial compensation to be the focal point for what we want back. What we want most is student support to be available and some form of help/extensions for deadlines that will be affected by strike dates."

"Particularly for those doing dissertations or those who have exams and essays due imminently, are missing three or four weeks of contact hours. It's a major interruption of study that any other reason would have extenuating circumstances for."

When asked why they started the petition they explained that although they "fully support" lecturers' demands for a pension, they believe the university has not properly prepared for the consequences for students.

"The interruption to study for us hasn't been handled well at all. It feels like we, as students have been kicked to the curb through all the striking talk."

Katie Walters and Sam Veal

Sam, 21, calls for solidarity between lecturers and their students, emphasising that it is in the interest of neither party to "go against each other".

He says that "students need to work with one another to support the strike but also ourselves. It doesn't matter what course people are on, its really important that people are sharing and encouraging others to do the same."

The pair are both surprised and "excited" by how well their campaign has done.

"We're showing a united voice to how we feel about the treatment of students. We now have well over 2000 signatures which shows that the issue is huge and continually growing in support."

They stated that students can further help with action against the strikes by emailing the University's Vice-Chancellor Colin Riordan. Citing this as "a brilliant way of communicating any worries or distress" over the strikes.