Everything we know about the Cov Uni lecturer strikes happening this week

Coventry University staff affiliated with the union UCU will strike for five days starting this Thursday.

UCU members will be on picket lines outside the university's main entrances on Gosford Street from 8am on Thursday, before heading to a rally outside the Graham Sutherland Building at 10am with speakers including UCU general secretary Jo Grady.

Thursday's walkout is the first of five strike days, with staff also due to take action on Tuesday 26 and Friday 29 November, followed by a two-day strike on Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 December.

This coincides with many graduation ceremonies, which began this Monday and will run until mid next week.

The strike itself is taking place due to the university's refusal to adopt a national system for pay increases used by the majority of universities. Instead, they have imposed an appraisal process which requires staff to submit a business case to human resources for a raise. Three quarters of the UCU voted to back the strike.

UCU regional official, Anne O'Sullivan, said: "Staff at Coventry University are sick and tired of being treated as a cost to be minimised. The current appraisal process is even worse than the one it replaced, holding down pay and creating extra paperwork for already overstretched staff. It's an unsustainable approach that will make it harder for the institution to recruit and retain staff.

"We are deeply disappointed that the university has failed to negotiate with us, leaving members with no option but to take strike action. The hardline threat to dock full pay for partial performance has only made staff more determined to fight for change. If the university wants to avoid disruption in the run up to Christmas it needs to scrap the current appraisal system and work with us to agree a fairer alternative.'

Coventry University told The Coventry Tab: "We are disappointed that Coventry UCU have announced strike action to coincide with some students' graduation ceremonies and will work collaboratively as a university to minimise disruption to our students and the staff who aren't taking part. We will continue to engage in an open, honest and transparent dialogue with Coventry UCU.

"We note the concerns of Coventry UCU and understand, given the commitment of our staff, that members who have voted in favour of strike action will not have taken this decision lightly".