Picket lines will form outside the three University of the West of England (UWE) campuses today as staff strike in a dispute over pay.
Staff at the university – including workers in libraries, student support, administration, IT and estates, along with technicians and instructors – will walk out after rejecting a 3% pay award from the University and Colleges Employers Association.
Staff had asked for a pay increase 2% above the rate of inflation, which currently stands at 9.9%.
With further rises in the cost of living expected, the award effectively represents a pay cut, the union says.
University staff have continually received below inflation wage increases or no rise at all for more than a decade, says UNISON.
UNISON University of the West of England branch secretary Christian Scott said: “Staff have gone above and beyond to support students throughout the pandemic. It’s time they were given the fair pay and recognition they deserve.
“No worker wants to go on strike but the sad reality is that they’re struggling to meet household costs and this will only get worse.
“University staff have suffered years of below-inflation pay rises, but enough is enough. With household costs all shooting up, only a pay rise that matches inflation will do. These workers deserve much better.
UNISON South West regional organiser Siobhan Brown said: “Even before this cost of living crisis, pay inequalities on university campuses were a national disgrace.
“This ludicrously low wage increase does nothing to ease the financial pressures for thousands of struggling staff.
“The university has to put before profits and pay its employees proper, fair wages. Otherwise workers will leave universities for better paid, less stressful jobs elsewhere.”
