Joint strike action by university staff in the Unite, Unison and UCU unions was well supported at the University of East London 31 October 2013, photo P Mason

Joint strike action by university staff in the Unite, Unison and UCU unions was well supported at the University of East London 31 October 2013, photo P Mason   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Sam Morecroft, Sheffield UCU anti-casualisation officer (personal capacity)

The University and College Union (UCU) has announced a 48-hour national strike across the higher education sector on 25 and 26 May, as well as a work-to-contract action.

The two-day strike represents the beginning of what needs to be a determined, sustained and escalating industrial campaign for better pay.

Despite the fact that between 2009 and 2016 our pay has fallen by 14.5% in real terms, the employers have offered only a miserly 1.1% pay increase for 2016/17.

Cash rich

That’s despite the fact that universities are cash rich – with a surplus of £1.8 billion across the sector! But these strikes are not just about pay – they are also a reflection of the anger at the employers’ refusal to negotiate over the ever-increasing gender pay gap, or casualised contracts which are rife within the sector.

Members know that to force the employers to improve their offer will require serious and sustained action. Already the UCU leadership is considering further strikes, including on 18 August, the day A-level results are released. But more is needed.

It is a mistake that at this stage the leadership has not announced an assessment boycott, which would create the maximum possible disruption throughout June and July.

Pressure needs to be put upon the leadership to announce further strike days as well, to coincide with the junior doctors’ strike and other unions taking industrial action. The UCU leadership has a poor record of flinching at crucial moments in industrial disputes in recent years – members must not allow them to sabotage our industrial action with any retreat this time around.

Unite, Britain’s largest trade union, is due to ballot its members in higher education as well, and Unison is recommending to members that they reject the pay offer and ballot for industrial action.

That’s great – by taking united action together, we can have far more impact. But it’s crucial that socialists and serious trade unionists in both unions make sure that those ballots are carried through, and produce strong votes in favour of joining UCU members in struggle.

Attacks

In recent years university workers, just like junior doctors, have experienced attacks on terms and conditions which have driven up the rate of exploitation in what used to be thought of as middle class jobs. Serious and determined struggle is needed to reverse this trend.

UCU members call on our students and other trade unions to support us, show solidarity and join us in taking action. Together we can stop austerity – and bring down this hated Tory government!