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<\/picture><\/span>Image source, <\/span>Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nBy Vanessa Clarke & Larissa Tairo<\/p>\n
BBC News<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Staff at 150 universities across the UK are taking part in a series of strikes.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The action is being taken over pay, working conditions and pension cuts. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n They will be walking out on three days – 24, 25 and 30 November. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Staff in England, Wales and Scotland will also begin industrial action short of a strike from 23 November, and in Northern Ireland from 18 November.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n This will include not covering for absent colleagues, refusing to make up for work lost to strike action and working to rule.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n A series of strikes were also held earlier this year and last year. <\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n It is unclear how badly tutorials and lectures will be affected, as union members don’t have to say whether they will be striking.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The University and College Union (UCU) says the impact will vary between institutions, but they do expect some cancellations. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n It says about 2.5 million students may be affected by the strikes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Universities UK (UUK), which represents 140 universities, hopes the impact will be limited. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n It said universities will minimise disruption and many will alert students if they will be affected by strike action. This could be\u202f by email, on university websites and on campus. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Some universities will also extend deadlines and leave libraries, computer rooms and student services open. Some may also reschedule teaching.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n If students feel the measures put in place aren’t good enough, they can complain using their university’s complaints procedure.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The National Union of Students is backing the strikes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Some are striking over pay and conditions, others over pensions. Some are striking over both.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n On pay, the union has demanded:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The dispute over pensions has been rumbling on for more than a decade. It was reignited by a valuation of a pension scheme used by academic staff – the Universities Superannuation Scheme. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The union said this valuation was “flawed” because it took place at the start of the pandemic, “when global markets were crashing” and recorded a deficit of \u00a314.1bn. It says the scheme was more recently found to have a surplus of \u00a31.8bn. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n It said the average member “will lose 35% from their guaranteed future retirement income”. For those at the beginning of their careers “the losses are in the hundreds of thousands of pounds”, it said. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The union is demanding employers revoke the cuts and restore benefits. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n A committee including trade unions and the Universities and College Employers Association (UCEA) meets and decides on any changes to university workers’ pay every year. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Most universities opt in to the negotiations, but they don’t have to – they can make their own decisions on how much to pay staff. The 22\/23 pay scale<\/a> was implemented in August. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The union says a third of academic staff are on a temporary contract.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The UCEA, says any increase in pay “puts jobs at risk”. Some 30% of universities are already in deficit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n At universities which introduced pay recommendations in August there was “an uplift of up to 9% for those on the lowest points” of the scale and a 3% increase for all other staff, it said. Many staff also benefited from annual pay increments. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n On pensions, the UUK said it is working with the union ahead of the next valuation of the pension scheme. It said that without the changes introduced employees would have had to pay much more in contributions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n In total, 62 universities will see strikes over both pay and conditions and pensions: <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Five will see strikes over pensions only:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Another 83 will see strikes over pay and working conditions only:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Are you affected by issues covered in this story? Email: <\/b>haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk<\/a>.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n If you are reading this page and can’t see the form you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk<\/a>. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhen are university staff striking?<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
Will lectures be cancelled? <\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
Why are university staff striking?<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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How much do lecturers get paid?<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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What do university employers say?<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
Which universities are affected?<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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