Millions of students face disruption as more than 70,000 staff at 150 universities across the UK will go on strike for 18 days between February and March.
At both Bournemouth University and Arts University Bournemouth campuses, staff were striking for better pay, working condition and pensions.
“It is a bit of a cliche, but we really do have no other choice. We are literally on our knees, and we all are at breaking point”: said Ian Dolan, AUB’s Branch secretary for the University and College Union.
Dolan said: “None of us want to be doing this. It fills us with fear to disrupt students learning but we are just exhausted, and workloads are too high.”
Staff at both Bournemouth University and Arts University Bournemouth said they strongly urge students to contact their Vice Chancellor and local MPs in attempt to prevent further strike action.
For the upcoming 2022-23 pay round, the UCU has demanded:
- a pay rise worth either the RPI measure of inflation +2%, or 12% - whichever is the higher
- action to end the use of zero hours and temporary contracts
- action to tackle "excessive workloads" resulting in hours of "unpaid work".
The UCU said it was offered an improved pay deal for 2023-24 worth between 5% and 8% on 25 January, but that was simply"not enough".
Bournemouth University student, Isobel Grant, said: “I arrived for a lecture at 9am, and the lecturer didn’t turn up, which I assume was due to strikes. I pay to live in the area for university and I pay for a bus pass which is a lot of money to go to waste when living on a strict student budget.”
Another BU Student, William Dobson-Clark, said: “I really understand why teachers are striking, but at the same time it has such detrimental impacts on us as students that are impossible to just ignore.”
Advanced Higher Education Surveys in recent years, have shown that 1 in 2 teaching staff have experienced forms of depression, anxiety, and fatigue as a result of ‘tough and unfair working conditions.’
Hannah Packham, Southwest Regional Secretary for the National Education Union, said “The Government could not expect strikes to be averted unless it brings forward concrete proposals for increasing pay.”
Industrial Strike action is set to continue throughout February and March, with February 1st marking the biggest day of industrial action in over a decade.
Dolan said: “We are really sorry to all our students. We are aware of how disruptive it is to their learning, but we just have to do this.”
For more information on striking action please visit: https://www.gov.uk/industrial-action-strikes
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