Support staff at Leeds Trinity University and the University of Leeds are to stage coordinated strike action, along with 18 other universities in England and Scotland, for at least two days in their ongoing dispute about pay, says UNISON today (Thursday).
More than 5,000 staff belonging to the union from the 20 universities could take part as they escalate their demands for a fair wage rise after many years of below-inflation increases.
In England, 16 universities will walk out on Monday 2 and Tuesday 3 October.
A series of strikes will take place in Scotland later this month at four institutions – Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow School of Art, University of Dundee and University of Glasgow. This includes a strike involving all four on Wednesday 20 September.
The new strike dates coincide with the start of term and follow industrial action at a number of universities earlier this year.
Staff voted to reject a pay offer for 2023/24 – worth between 5% and 8% but well below the rate of inflation at the time – in a consultation conducted by UNISON earlier this year. In a union ballot that ended in July, workers at these 20 higher education institutions backed further strikes.
The university workers represented by UNISON include cleaners, IT technicians, administrators, library staff and others supporting student learning.
UNISON head of education Mike Short said: “Support staff play a crucial role helping students through university, but they’ve endured years of real-terms pay cuts.
“Many can’t support themselves as prices of food, fuel and household bills continue to rise. Some are having to leave for better-paid jobs elsewhere and that risks leaving millions of students facing a worsening university experience. Universities must improve wages.”
UNISON University of Leeds branch secretary Angela Blackburn said: “Staff at the university are still determined to have their voices heard, and secure a fair pay rise.
“Going past 50 days of strike action is a clear sign that staff are still committed to fighting for their pay to go up.
“It’s great to have so many universities taking action at the same time. It’s a clear message to university bosses that staff are committed to the fight to be paid fairly.”
