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Cardiff Uni staff may strike again after UCU members back industrial action

Ballots on pensions have been conducted again


Staff of Cardiff University have voted to take industrial action in the form of striking after members of the University and College Union (UCU) conducted ballots on pensions and working conditions.

Cardiff University is among a number of UK universities who may be affected by strikes.

UCU secured the mandate for the strikes after 79 per cent of UCU members voted to back strike action because of changes to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), a pension scheme whose members include academic staff in universities.

82 per cent of members from Cardiff University voted to back the strikes.

In another ballot focused on workplace conditions, equality and pay, 74 per cent of the voters backed strike action.

It isn’t clear when the strikes will take place, but according to a statement on the Cardiff University Intranet, "there could be disruption to some University services and teaching over the coming weeks and months."

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An email distributed to students

The statement continues to say that "the University will remain open and will do everything possible to minimise disruption to teaching and learning."

According to the UCU website, the UCU said "it was frustrated that members had to be balloted again, but that universities’ refusal to deal with their concerns had left them with no choice."

In total, 41 universities passed the 50 per cent turnout threshold which gives UCU a mandate for the strike action on the USS ballot, including Bangor University and The University of Wales.

In terms of the ballot on workplace conditions and pay, 52 universities including Cardiff University passed the 50 per cent turnout threshold.

UK universities faced similar action in 2018 over changes proposed to the USS. The strikes took place over two weeks between February and March in 64 UK universities.

In last year’s strikes, it is estimated that more than one million students were affected by the strikes according to an article by Times Higher Education.

The University has said that it will keep Cardiff students updated as they learn more about the upcoming strikes.