United Kingdom: Series of strikes to safeguard pension benefits
Published:
Today, on 22 February 2018, the University and College Union, UCU, one of the ETUCE member organisations in the United Kingdom, is launching a series of strikes to safeguard guaranteed pension benefits of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS).
“Staff, who have delivered the international excellence, universities boast of are understandably angry at efforts to slash their pensions. They feel let down by vice-chancellors who seem to care more about defending their own pay and perks than the rights of their staff. Strike action on this scale has not been seen before on UK campuses, but universities need to know the full scale of the disruption they will be hit with if they refuse to sort this mess out”, stated Sally Hunt, UCU General Secretary.
Expressing ETUCE’s solidarity with UCU colleagues, Susan Flocken, the European Director said “Governments must fulfill their commitment -ensure quality education for all - through taking concrete actions, including a guarantee for decent pension benefits for the work of those who dedicate their life to the education of students. May the significant and strong signal of strike actions trigger meaningful dialogue and effective negotiations and lead to fruitful outcomes. In solidarity”.