University staff strike over pension row
NCJ MediaHundreds of academics at a university are on strike amid a row over their pensions.
Staff at Northumbria University in Newcastle began a walkout earlier, with members of the University and College Union (UCU) planning a total of 10 days of industrial action before 6 March.
The dispute centres on the university telling workers to switch to a different pension scheme or have their pay frozen, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
University bosses said they wanted to save £11m per year by moving staff from the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS).
The university said the TPS came with "very high costs" and employer contributions of 28.68%.
But the union said the new pension scheme would leave employees significantly worse off.
'Financially disadvantaged'
UCU branch chair Adam Hansen said the university's stance was "completely demoralising".
"We recognise universities are in financial difficulty, the sector is in a state," the English lecturer said.
"But management here have decided to punch down on staff.
"We love our jobs, we love teaching, love research and being with our students.
"The last thing we want to do is take strike action, particularly when everything is as grim as it is."
Hansen said the union had rejected a new offer from the university this week.
Northumbria said it expected most classes to go ahead despite the strike and its buildings remained open as normal.
A spokesperson said its latest offer included a pledge to "consider" a pay award for staff who stayed in the TPS, while those who switched pensions would get a "confirmed minimum pay increase and a payment that provides individuals with a share of the savings achieved".
They said the university was "significantly financially disadvantaged in comparison to universities such as Newcastle and Durham who offer the USS".
The spokesperson said the USS was a "standard pension scheme for the majority of academic staff in the UK".
