STRIKE FAQS
What is a strike?
A strike is when workers protest by not working in order to put pressure on their employer. Academic staff won’t work on strike days, meaning they won’t teach, plan lessons or mark assessments.
UCU members also voted to take action short of strike.
When are the strikes?
The strike is due to take place over 14 days during February and March: 20-21st February, 24th-26th February, 2nd-5th March, and 9th-13th March.
If the negotiators reach an agreement, there is a chance that all or some of the strike days won’t go ahead.
What is the strike about?
UCU members are taking strike action on two issues: working condition and pensions. This includes falling pay, the gender and ethnic pay gap, casualization, precarious employment practices, and unsafe workloads.
In the past 10 years, pay in the higher education sector fall by almost 20% while workloads have been increasing. There has been a rise in workers employed on precarious or zero-hour contracts. This affects especially postgraduate students employed by universities.
This affects university staff unevenly by exacerbating already existing pay gaps for female, BAME and disabled staff.
As well, staff are paying far more for their pensions while it is expected they will lose tens of thousands of pounds in retirement due to changes made to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), despite an independent panel of experts concluding the scheme could continue with a much lower contribution rate.
For more info on the two disputes and FAQs :
Action FAQS
Pension dispute
Pay & Condition dispute
What happened in 2018 and last November?
In 2018, the unprecedented strike action stopped plans to scrap defined benefit pensions, however, members now face steep rises in their pension contributions – from 6.5% in 2011 to 9.6% in October 2019, with further increases planned in 2021.
What is UCU?
The University and College Union (UCU) represents over 110,000 academics, lecturers, trainers, instructors, researchers, managers, administrators, computer staff, librarians and postgraduates in universities, colleges, prisons, adult education and training organisations across the UK.
Does AUSA support the strike?
AUSA Sabbatical Officers are in support of the strike: we believe that our lecturers deserve fair pay and conditions, and recognise the long-term negative effects these pension cuts will have on the quality of students’ education.
When staff are underpaid and overworked, our education suffers. The strike is not just about pensions and cuts. Increasing workload means it becomes harder for students to receive appropriate care and feedback. This strike is to improve the higher education system for both staff and students.
In 2018, Student Council passed a motion to formally support the strike. The sabbatical officers are therefore mandated to undergo several actions which you can see outlined in the motion.
You can get involved with the 'Aberdeen Students Support the Strike' campaign and by checking ways you can support.
Can I come onto campus on strike days?
Yes, however, there will be a picket line at various points across Old Aberdeen and Foresterhill campus. Exact locations of picket lines will be released closer to the strike.
A picket line is a boundary established by workers on strike, usually at the entrance to their place of work, to draw attention to their cause and to encourage others to not cross the picket line and enter the workspace.
We encourage you to support your lecturers and tutors and not cross the picket line.
Are staff paid when they are on strike?
No. However, UCU Aberdeen has asked the University for salary lost during the strike to be allocated to the International Hardship Fund.
I’m a postgraduate research student who teaches. How does this affect me and can I get involved?
If you're a postgraduate student who teaches, you can join UCU for free, and encourage you to do so. While AUSA represents you on education matters, UCU would be representing you on employment matters.
Supervisions are likely to be affected in the same way that lectures and seminars will be, so your sessions may not take place.
Will my lectures, tutorials and supervision be cancelled?
Any lecturer taking part in the strike will not be working on strike days - meaning teaching and supervision may not take place. This means that many lectures, seminars and tutorials may be cancelled.
Striking staff legally do not have to alert the University in advance that they are striking, so you may not find out until the day of your class that it is not taking place. However, some staff will choose to informally tell you in advance that they will be joining the strike action.
Will I be penalised for classes missed due to strike action?
The University has stated you will not be disadvantaged as a result of any teaching missed due to strike action. Any aspect of teaching missed as a consequence of the industrial action will not form part of any assessment associated with the course.
However, the University has stated that, should your lecturer not go on strike, then you will be marked absent for any classes missed.
If you are already at risk of failing your course due to low attendance (C6/C7), UCU recommends you go to class and support the strikes in other ways if you so wish.
I’m worried that the strike will have an impact on my learning and achievement. What can I do?
We understand that the length of the strike could have a big impact on your teaching hours and you might be worried about assessments and achieving a good grade this semester. If you require advice, get in contact with the AUSA Advice Team at ausaadvice@abdn.ac.uk
If you still have questions, UCU has created a FAQ document with more information. You can also come to the picket lines to ask directly lecturers and staff why they are striking.
UCU Facebook
UCU Website
UCU Twitter
More information on the strike is available on UCU’s website here.