QUEEN’S University academic staff will stage strike action over three days later this month as part of an ongoing dispute over real-terms cuts to pay and pensions.

Staff who are members of the University and College Union (UCU) have voted overwhelmingly to take action on 24, 25 and 30 November with over 90 per cent voting in favour of strike action.

Queen’s UCU members will join other striking members across the North, England, Scotland and Wales.

Other higher learning institutions across the North who are also members of UCU and have voted to strike include Ulster University and the Open University. Staff in 70 universities across the United Kingdom have voted to strike.

This year the Universities and Colleges Employers' Association (UCEA), which represents university employers across the UK, proposed a 3 per cent pay increase for staff this academic year, with 9 per cent for those on the lowest pay grades, but with the increased rate of inflation sitting at 10 per cent, unions are arguing that this actually represents a pay cut amidst the current cost of living crisis.

Professor Sean O’Connell, President of UCU at Queen’s, said: “Our members work tirelessly to support student learning and to produce world class research.

“Since 2009, our members have seen real terms pay cuts of over 25 per cent and a recent average pension cut of 35 per cent. Gender, race and disability pay gaps also affect staff.

“Many UCU members were already struggling financially before the current cost of living crisis, including some who are also postgraduate students.

“Staff working conditions are student learning conditions. Workloads are dangerously high and staff have less time to support individual students. Consistent precarious employment leaves many staff constantly applying for jobs rather than supporting students or producing research.”

“Unless employers, including Queen’s Vice Chancellor Professor Ian Greer and the other 148 Vice Chancellors in the UK, choose to negotiate, UCU at QUB members will be left with no other option but to take part in UK-wide industrial action on 24, 25 and 30 November.

“Currently, each of the Vice Chancellors dodge personal responsibility for pay and pensions, claiming to be impotent due to the collective nature of national pay and pensions bargaining.

“The argument of workers at QUB is that that as these VCs are collectively paid more than £44m per annum they should demonstrate the leadership skills that such vast financial resources suggest that they possess. These VCs should come to the table with resolutions to our disputes and not continue to wash their hands of the personal responsibility that comes with the vast sums that they are paid each year.”