Keele University staff start five-day strike in ongoing dispute

28 March 2022

Staff at Keele University have begun a week of strike action in an ongoing dispute over pensions, pay and conditions.

The University and College Union (UCU) wants changes nationally, including a £2,500 pay increase and action to tackle "unmanageable workloads".

The action at Keele University from Monday to Friday is being mirrored at 66 universities, the UCU said.

Keele University said it hoped to keep disruption to students to a minimum.

The sector is committed to giving staff a "high quality rewards package", a spokesperson added.

The action each day will see pickets at both gates to the university and a rally on the campus.

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Which universities are affected by strikes?

Strathclyde University said last month that it planned to cut almost 80 jobs to try to save £35m.

A union says better salaries would help stem the "crisis" in recruitment and retention of staff.

A union claims Durham University is refusing to engage with it over concerns about staff workloads.

UHI and a union say they have reached an agreement that ends industrial action.

The university says it needs to save £35m but a union is calling for no compulsory redundancies.