On the go: Staff at 27 universities have a mandate to take strike action over pensions that will last until October 2022, after the University and College Union secured the support of its members.
The result of new industrial action ballots launched at 149 universities, which ran between March 16 and April 8, showed that 79.5 per cent of members backed strike action, with almost 88.1 per cent voting for action short of a strike.
This gives staff at 24 universities a mandate to take strike action over pensions, which will join with lecturers at Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University, who did not take part in the ballots but will join any possible action as their mandate remains live. Queen Mary University of London has a live mandate until July, the union said.
UCU members finished their third round of strikes over pensions and pay in March, the former triggered by a deal struck between the Universities Superannuation Scheme trustee and employer group Universities UK.
UUK said its deal, which pledged greater covenant support, a moratorium on scheme exits, and a host of other measures, was necessary in order to stave off “ruinous” contribution rate hikes following the scheme’s 2020 valuation, which saw its deficit quadruple to more than £14bn.
The UCU, however, said the deal amounts to a cut to the guaranteed retirement income of a “typical lecturer” of as much as 35 per cent, a figure UUK disputes.
The union has repeatedly called for a new valuation, which it said would account for substantial improvements in scheme finances since the 2020 valuation was conducted, though the USS trustee has cautioned that the recovery seen in assets is likely to have been offset by increased costs in other areas.
UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “University vice-chancellors should be under no illusion at how disgusted staff are at the attacks on their pensions. The cuts are unjust, unnecessary and, with eight in 10 staff voting in favour of strike action, it is clear the anger has not gone away.
“While staff were keeping universities running during the pandemic, vice-chancellors were using a once-in-a-lifetime valuation of a pension scheme as an excuse to slash and burn. Our members are now set to lose tens of thousands from their retirement incomes.
“Sadly, despite 18 days of strike action, those that lead our universities — themselves on eye-watering salaries — have demonstrated they simply do not care,” Grady continued.
“Our union will now be taking these latest ballot results to a special meeting of its higher education sector, where members will discuss how they wish to use this new mandate for action.”
A UUK spokesperson said: “The necessary reforms to conclude the 2020 valuation of USS have now been implemented. Employers are focused on enhancing the scheme for the future and look forward to working with scheme members to develop lower-cost options for members, consider alternative scheme designs, and conduct a thorough governance review of USS with independent, external expertise.”
