On the go: The University and College Union has threatened yet more industrial action, including a marking and assessment boycott, as the row over the resolution of the Universities Superannuation Scheme’s 2020 consultation escalates.
Employers, represented by Universities UK, struck a deal with the USS trustee in February ostensibly bringing to a close the long-running dispute over the outcome of the 2020 valuation, and warding off threatened contribution rate hikes widely deemed unaffordable.
Employers pledged an enhanced covenant support package and a moratorium on scheme exits as part of their deal, though the UCU argued that the proposals amounted to cuts of as much as 35 per cent to a “typical lecturer’s” benefits, something UUK disputed.
The union put forward its own alternative solution, but this was dismissed by employers. UCU members have just completed their second round of industrial action in response to the dispute, and the union is now threatening a third, announcing it is to re-ballot all institutions over plans to strike again next term.
It has announced a further five days of strike action covering the periods March 21-25 and March 28 to April 1, which will see more than 50,000 staff walk out over the pensions dispute, as well as an ongoing battle over pay and working conditions.
The union is also threatening a marking and assessment boycott as part of its industrial action.
UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “Vice-chancellors could easily end this dispute and prevent further disruption in our universities, but they would rather attack the pensions, pay and working conditions of their own staff and damage the sector at the same time.
“Students and staff alike deserve better leadership than this, and we hope that this action and our re-ballot of members for future action will make employers see sense.”
Grady said the healthy financial position universities and the sector as a whole find themselves in means there is “no justification whatsoever for slashing staff pensions or refusing to take action over falling pay, shocking equality pay gaps, rampant casualisation and unsafe workloads”.
“Students support staff because they know that staff working conditions are their learning conditions. They also know that universities have the money to give staff what they deserve. Until vice-chancellors get the message, staff will continue to take action to defend themselves,” she said.
UUK gave the announcement short shrift, however, a spokesperson saying that further rounds of industrial action “will not remove the need to reform the USS to ensure it remains affordable for members and employers. The package of reforms proposed by employers has now passed the [Joint Negotiating Committee] and the USS trustee board, and will be implemented from April 1 2022”.
“February’s industrial action did not achieve the outcome UCU intended, and data gathered by [the Universities and Colleges Employers Association] suggests turnout on picket lines was even lower than before, with limited disruption to students,” they continued.
“With news of more strikes and yet another ballot, reasonable onlookers will conclude that the union has an ideological fixation with strike action and is determined to pursue it, no matter the cost. Since 2019, an average member of staff earning £55,000 per annum taking strike action has forgone over £4,800 in pay deductions, to no avail.
“Scheme members should ask themselves whether they are willing to sacrifice even more to pay higher pension contributions based on the UCU’s unsubstantiated view that another valuation will yield a better outcome.”
The UCU has repeatedly called for a new valuation, arguing that the 2020 valuation occurred during the worst moment of the Covid-19 pandemic and the consequent market shock. It has pointed to the fact that USS assets have recovered to pre-pandemic levels and the deficit has fallen significantly, though the USS trustee and UUK have argued that this improvement has been largely offset by rising costs elsewhere.
“Employers have repeatedly made clear that current contributions are at the very limit of affordability, and a majority of those responding to a consultation on the UCU’s proposal for higher contributions rejected it,” the UUK spokesperson continued.
“Recent government announcements underline the wider financial uncertainty universities are facing, and with the 2020 valuation now concluded, it is time to look forward and identify lasting improvements to the USS that can be made ahead of the next valuation."
