As a member of UCU, I will be taking part in the forthcoming strike action. The reason that I am striking is simple: things are getting worse for university staff across the UK. By any metric, things are getting worse.
Fair Pay
On the issue of salaries, our pay has not kept up with inflation for the past 10 years. What this means is that somebody at my stage in their career in 2010 was earning 17% more in real terms than I am today. It is worth noting that universities across the UK have made sure that student accommodation costs have kept pace with the rate of inflation.
Significantly, while pay at the top continues to grow, the disability pay gap in higher education is 8.7%, women are paid on average 15.1% less than men, and according to a study from employers’ own representatives, black academic staff earn 12-13% less than white colleagues of the same gender and experience. We are looking for a comprehensive plan to tackle this inequality.
Pensions
On the issue of pensions, a pension is simply delayed pay. A cut to a pension therefore is a cut to pay. The recent changes to our pensions mean that a typical member will pay around £40,000 more in to their pension, but receive almost £200,000 less in retirement leaving them £240,000 worse off in total. (Links to an external site.) This has already had a direct effect on me with my yearly increment in salary effectively being swallowed up by the increase in contribution I have to make to my pension.
Job Security
Finally, you may not be aware of this but many of your lecturers and seminar leaders are on temporary contracts. Universities have made ever-increasing use of these temporary contracts and, invariably, they affect younger people more, and in particular, younger women more. Although I have a permanent contract, I am striking in solidarity with my colleagues and friends on precarious contracts.
All of this, of course, has occurred at a time when student fees have increased, universities have embarked upon massive building projects at huge expense, and have also still run budget surpluses. Vice-Chancellor pay has also increased substantially at a time when the pay for other staff has not.
A fellow strike buddy when I last took part in industrial action in Durham in 2018
Not an easy choice
Despite my resoluteness, this is not to say that striking will be easy. I will be losing eight days of pay. Moreover, the university is threatening to withhold 25% of my pay for each day I refuse to reschedule lectures after the strike. They have also reserved the right to increase this up to 100% of my pay. I will therefore be suffering significant financial loss as a result of this decision.
More importantly, I am aware that this may be a stressful time for you all. I would much rather be in class teaching you and talking with you about things that I am passionate about, rather than standing on a cold, wet picket line. However, from my perspective, I have no choice. I have to stand up and fight for myself and my colleagues. I cannot leave this for others to do. From my perspective, I do not think that this is fair.
I will be on the picket lines every day if you wish to come and have a chat with me about my decision to strike. On some days, I may even have cake. If you want to support us, you may wish to write to the Vice Chancellor to this effect.
Finally, I am also doing a ‘teach out’ during the strike. I will be giving a lecture on Monday 2 December at 3pm in the Bristol Pear on the topic of “Democracy beyond the Ballot Box: Strikes, Protest and the Myth of the UK’s Flexible Constitution”. It would be great to see some of you there.
Best wishes,
Alan Greene
Alan Greene 