USS Pension Strike Action

Information will be available as soon as possible this week about the USS pension strike action and information given from UCU HQ and the Principal’s Office.

Currently staff are considering strike actions over ten days in the Weeks 4 to 7 during this current semester. There will be picket lines every day in the mornings.

The issue at stake is that after years  of academic salary real-term reduction (15% over the last decade), our pensions are now under attack. The Universities UK have decided to apply a range of measures to the appallingly managed USS pension fund which essentially means that most academics will lose not only part of an expected retiral lump sum (the defined benefits),  but the yearly pension will also be radically reduced.

According to UCU statistics, after 30 years in the profession, a school teacher can retire on £22,000 whereas an academic would retire on between £9000 and £15000.

Please support us as a profession that deserves the respect of a decent pension.