The first day of York UCU strikes is only two weeks away

It has been confirmed that the next wave of the York UCU teaching strikes will begin in just two weeks time on February 1st. Over 70,000 UCU members at 150 universities will take part. The union will be striking for 18 days before Easter.

Last week, York UCU confirmed it would be taking part in the strike action, due to continuing disputes over pay, conditions and attacks on pensions.

The dates for further strikes will be announced next week.

York has already seen three days of strike action this academic year and A York Tab survey found that 69 per cent of York students supported the strikes.

The union says “the clock is ticking” for university bosses to avoid widespread disruption this year. They are campaigning for a significant pay rise to ease the cost of living crisis, the ending of use of insecure contracts, and are demanding unis revoke cuts to pensions and restore benefits.

Universities gave staff a pay rise of three per cent this year (with inflation currently over 10 per cent), after what the UCU calls “over a decade of below-inflation pay awards”.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “Whilst the cost-of-living crisis rages, university vice-chancellors are dragging their feet and refusing to use the vast wealth in the sector to address over a decade of falling pay, rampant casualisation and massive pension cuts.

“On 1 February, 70,000 university staff will walk out alongside fellow trade unions and hundreds of thousands of other workers to demand their fair share.

“UCU remains committed to reaching a negotiated settlement, but if university employers don’t get serious and fast, more strike action fill follow in February and March.”

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