Confirmed: Five days of strikes will take place at the University of Nottingham this month

Five days of university strikes have been confirmed at 140 UK universities for the end of this month.

The UCU announced yesterday that industrial action will take place between the 25th and 29th September, coinciding with the start of term for many universities – and Freshers’ Week for University of Nottingham students. 

The announcement of the five consecutive strike dates comes with the official end of the marking and assessment boycott, which had been ongoing since Thursday 20th April, and which had disrupted graduation and progression to the next academic year for many University of Nottingham students. 

The University College Union is striking over low pay and working conditions. Their demands include an above-inflation pay award to “start addressing pay which has fallen in real terms by a quarter since 2009”.

The UCU’s General Secretary Jo Grady said: “We are left with no option but to strike during the start of term because our members refuse to stand by while pay is eroded and staff are shunted onto gig-economy contracts.

“It is shameful that vice-chancellors still refuse to settle the dispute despite a year of unprecedented disruption, and have instead imposed a pay award that staff overwhelmingly rejected. Universities are richer than ever, generating tens of billions of pounds in income and hoarding billions more in cash deposits. But they won’t give staff their fair share, a pay award of five per cent is a huge real-terms pay cut and is substantially lower than school teachers received.”

Professor Paul Hegarty, Head of the School of Cultures, Languages, and Area Studies, said in an email to students of the School in June that “the university will do everything we can to support you during this period, so that you can progress to your next year of study or graduate as planned.”

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