University staff to strike again

University academics and staff are to hold a second national one-day strike on 3 December, in a continuing dispute over pay, four unions have announced.

The row centres on a one per cent pay rise offered to university staff – including lecturers and support staff.

UCU head of higher education Michael MacNeil said, “Staff have suffered year-on-year cuts in the value of their pay and have made it clear that enough is enough.

“We remain committed to trying to resolve this dispute and the employers now have until 3 December to sit down and positively engage with the unions.”

He added workers would strike again next month, joined by the union Educational Institute of Scotland, unless pay conditions improve.

Members of the unions UCU, Unite, and Unison took part in a one-day walk out on October 31, which affected Manchester and 148 other institutions across the country.

The student-supported action saw lectures, libraries and other University services cancelled, postponed or closed, with pickets outside campus buildings including University Place and a protest in front of the Students’ Union.