University strikes: how far is it going to go?

We have one week left of the planned four-week strike action and it would seem that no progress has been made in the so-called negotiations.

Next week will see a five-day walkout across 65 institutions across the country. I don't even want to know how many cancelled lectures and seminars that is. Or indeed how many lecturers refusing to put the pissing lecture slides online.

I mean, c'mon. I would imagine most, if not all, students support their lecturers in their decision to strike but don't be a dick about it. I know they're all under huge amounts of stress at the moment and rightly so. Their pensions are being fucked around with after all and it has been said that the average lecturer will lose around £10,000 a year during their retirement if the decision goes through.

In their defence though, some lecturers have put slides on Blackboard and some have even arranged out-of-hours seminars and workshops. Fair play.

But what this whole situation has shown us is that students are not, and perhaps never were nor ever will be, the most important thing in a University. And the news broke today that the Universities and Colleges Union (UCU) have threatened a further 14 days of industrial action over the exam period.

Christ almighty. All those third years who are already struggling to contact their tutors might have further disruptions during their exams. But you know, these big bosses really don't give a fuck.

The Vice-Chancellor and others of his sort will put out words reading something like "We sincerely regret any disruption and inconvenience that has been endured by our students…" Yeah me too, mate.

Perhaps it's naive for us to be surprised or angry about what is going on. You know, maybe Universities really are all about the money.

No shit.