University staff have voted in favour of 10 days of strikes that could impact more than a million students.
The University and College Union said that more than 50,000 staff were expected to take part in the latest in a series of strikes over pensions, pay and working conditions.
If no agreement is reached with UCU, 44 institutions are set to take part in a first tranche of action from 14 Feb, which will last five days.
This first walkout is over pension cuts for members of the University Superannuation Scheme (USS). The UCU claims that changes made to the scheme between 2011 and 2019 mean a typical member would be £240,000 worse off when they retire.
A second walkout of two days is proposed for 21 February over pensions, pay and conditions. A third, involving 39 institutions and concerning overall pay and conditions, would begin on 28 February for three days.
Staff at 58 universities already took part in three days of strikes in December as part of the long-running dispute.
The final day of action on 2 March will coincide with a student march organised by the National Union of Students, which supports UCU’s campaign for better working conditions, pay and pensions.
The UCU issued proposals this week aimed at averting the proposed industrial action. These would see retirement benefits protected in return for a small increase in pension contributions for scheme members and employers.
The UCU added that the assets in the USS jumped in value to more than £92 billion, more than £25 billion higher than their previous valuation.
The higher value means employers’ justification for cutting payouts has “evaporated”, as they were based on markets crashing during the pandemic.
Universities UK, which represents employers in the sector, said in a statement that UCU’s industrial action is “not having the desired effect”.
A spokesperson said: “In December, only a third of UCU members at institutions eligible for industrial action chose to go on strike – accounting for just 9% of staff.
“Students will struggle to understand why they should bear the brunt of UCU’s refusal to confront the financial challenges facing all pension schemes.”
UUK said the union should “focus on working with employers to find a viable and affordable solution to the 2020 valuation, which avoids the unaffordably high costs members and employers are facing from April”.
UCU general secretary Jo Grady argued that the union’s latest proposals were “serious” and would allow for a new evidence-based valuation of the pension scheme to be conducted.
“Employers can stop this dispute at any time and have been offered a route out which protects pensions and averts widespread disruption on university campuses,” she said.
Grady said the 2020 valuation was “flawed” given the latest value of the scheme’s assets.
“If employers are serious about stopping UK wide strike action in February, they need to agree to seriously consider UCU’s proposals at the next meeting of negotiators,” she added.
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“The university sector continues to show strong growth and university bosses can afford to meet our proposals. If they refuse to do so, they are choosing to force staff to walk out.”
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