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USS Pensions Dispute

Updated: Wednesday 21 February, 2018

At the Regional Committee meeting on Friday 2 February at the Exeter Regional Offices it was decided that such was the importance of the USS pensions dispute facing pre-92 Universities, that ALL branches in the region be asked to support it in any way possible. ALL Branches are asked to organise their members to attend pickets, offer messages of support, contribute to any collection for hardship funds and to lobby MPs by writing to them and visiting their surgeries.  You can find out details of your MP here www.theyworkforyou.com.   Please see below for picket and other details. Please circulate this blog link widely to sister trade unions, Trades Councils and interested parties. The short link for printed materials is https://tinyurl.com/USSSW

This page will be updated with the latest strike and picket information. If you can’t find what you need here please contact the branch directly, or Regional Organiser, Dave O’Toole dotoole@ucu.org.uk   or look on the UCU website https://www.ucu.org.uk/strikeforuss

Last updated: February 9, 2017

USS is the collective pensions scheme for pre-92 universities. In this region Exeter, Bristol and Bath three of the 61 affected across the country.

UUK, the representative body to the USS pension scheme, have announced intentions to move from a defined benefits pension scheme to a defined contributions scheme. UCU has been in negotiations with UUK for over a year but has made no progress in overturning this. It means in essence that the current scheme which collectivises pension risk and pays a final pension linked to salary will be replaced by one which throws the risk onto the individual and makes the final salary dependent on the stock market. It has been calculated that the proposed changes will result in a loss of value of the pension of at least 20% with some estimates predicting 60% and more.  Currently, though, the scheme is fantastically successful with around £60bn of assets. It has a positive cash flow and so brings in every year more than it pays out.  This situation is expected will continue for at least the next 30 years (or as far as can be predicted). But closing off new payments into this scheme will very rapidly move it to the situation where it will be in a negative cash flow and this could happen within 5 or 6 years.

More information here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrKIJMLUIO4

These changes represent the biggest attack on UCU’s members that has ever been mounted and requires the biggest ever response.

In a ballot to take industrial action UCU members smashed though the Trade Union Bill requirement for a 50% turnout. More than 58% (a record) voted and there was record vote in favour of action with 88% voting for strike action and 93% for action short of a strike. We are asking for support from all UCU members and fellow trade unionists.

In response to this ballot UCU will be holding fourteen days of escalating action Thursday 22 February, Friday 23 February, Monday 26 February, Tuesday 27 February,  Wednesday 28 February,  Monday 5 March, Tuesday 6 March, Wednesday 7 March, Thursday 8 March, Monday 12 March, Tuesday 13 March, Wednesday 14 March, Thursday 15 March, Friday 16 March

University of Bath

University of Bath UCU Branch will be picketing the three entrances to the campus (North Road, Bathwick Hill pedestrian entrance, and The Avenue from 07:00am to 13:00pm on 22 & 23 February as well as the Virgil Building (the old police station) in the city centre. Messages of support and requests for information can be sent to ucu-sec@bath.ac.uk . We will be delighted to meet anyone on our picket lines. Bring a banner from your union branch if you have one, but most of all bring yourself.

Bristol and BathPaul Bridge, UCU Head of Higher Education, Bargaining and Negotiations, will speak on 26 February at The University of Bath at 10:30am at the pedestrian entrance to campus and later at The University of Bristol 2:00pm at Senate House, Tyndall Ave, Bristol BS8 1TH

Please send messages of support to ucu-sec@bath.ac.uk

For each day we are on strike, we lose a day’s pay. We believe that our lost wages should go into a hardship fund for our students and towards improving mental health support for students and staff.

Staff and students please sign our petition here: http://bath.web.ucu.org.uk/2018/02/18/petition-strike-hardship-mental-health/
All staff and students are invited to sign this petition to university senior management.

The branch is also organising a “Strike on Teach Out” event from 3:00pm – 6:00pm on Thursday 22 and Friday 23 of February. Please see the Facebook page for more details. Venue: Black Bell Inn, Walcott Street, Bath. for details go here:  https://www.facebook.com/StrikeOnTeachOut/

We welcome contributions to our hardship fund. Please contact Michael Carley for details. m.j.carley@bath.ac.uk

University Of Bristol

Main Contacts – Tracey Hooper and James Thompson, email ucu-office@bristol.ac.uk

Prior to the action, Bristol Branch are holding an evening event, co-hosted by Bristol Student Labour Party called ‘Why is my lecturer on strike?’ on Tuesday 20th Feb at 6pm. Lecture Theatre 3, Woodland Road Complex, BS8 1TB.

Thursday, 22nd February
08:00: Picket lines staffed Senate House  (Tyndall Avenue, BS8 1TH).
10:30: Rally, Rally, Senate House  (Tyndall Avenue, BS8 1TH). We suggest anyone who would like to join us and show support should head to this location either for rally/march or picket.
11:00-11:30: March to Wills Memorial Building (Queens Road, BS8 1RJ)
11:30-12:00: Rally, Wills Memorial Building
12:00-: Teach-Outs will be held at Woodlands Church, Belgrave Road, Bristol, BS8 2AA. Topics include the history of the trade union movement, and the anniversary of 1968 protests.

Monday, 26th February:
08:00: Picket lines staffed (Tyndall Avenue, BS8 1TH)
10:30: Rally, Senate House (Tyndall Avenue, BS8 1TH)
13:30: Wills Memorial Building (Queens Road, BS8 1RJ
14:00: Senate begins
14:00-14:30: Rally, Wills Memorial Building (Queens Road, BS8 1RJ)

Bristol and Bath – Paul Bridge, UCU Head of Higher Education, Bargaining and Negotiations, will speak on 26 February at The University of Bath at 10:30am at the pedestrian entrance to campus and later at The University of Bristol 2:00pm at Senate House, Tyndall Ave, Bristol BS8 1TH

We welcome contributions to our hardship fund. Please contact Tracey Hooper for details.

Please send messages of support to President, Tracey Hooper

Students at Bristol have backed a petition calling on the university to refund tuition fees for all those who lose lecturer contact time as a result of the action. See here: https://www.change.org/p/university-of-bristol-university-of-bristol-strike-compensation

University Of Exeter

Main Contact – Barrie Cooper email B.Cooper@exeter.ac.uk

Pickets Thursday 22 February, Friday 23 February

Streatham (both entrances); meet at the corner of Prince of Wales Road and Stocker Road (EX4 4PU)
St Luke’s Campus (EX1 2LU) Barrack Road (EX2 5DW)
The Alexander Building, New North Road, Thornlea, Exeter EX4 4LA
Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE

Thurs 22nd: All members out and on picket lines at all campuses 7:30-11:30 followed by a march to a rallying point at St Sidwells
Fri 23rd: All members out and on picket lines at all campuses 7:30-11:30 followed by social.
Barrie Lovejoy – National Head of Regional Organisations and Nations will be in Exeter on Friday 23 February and will visit with pickets.

Mon 26th & Tues 27th: Members strike, but no specific pickets/events planned
Weds 28th: Members strike.  Afternoon – teach-out/public lectures.

University of Exeter Branch will begin a programme of events to which all interested members of the public are welcome to attend. While originating in the strike, we intend to continue organizing such events after we restore our pensions: as an element within the university of the future. Please see their Facebook Page for more details. https://www.facebook.com/volunteeruniversity

We welcome contributions to Exeter’s hardship fund. Please contact Barrie Cooper B.Cooper@exeter.ac.uk for details.

Please send messages of support to Barrie Cooper.

Student support

We have been overwhelmed by offers of support and positive action by students. Students at Exeter have managed to change the mind of key bodies within the university to support our action. Students at Falmouth FXU (which shares a site with Exeter at Penryn are leafletting and at the University of Bristol more than 2,100 3,500 students have backed a petition calling on the university to refund tuition fees for all those who lose lecturer contact time as a result of the action. See here: https://www.change.org/p/university-of-bristol-university-of-bristol-strike-compensation

What can you do?

If you work in universities, join a union and take strike action.

If you’re a student, graduate, or parent of a student, lobby your university leader to oppose the pension cuts and resume negotiations with our union, UCU: https://www.ucu.org.uk/studentvoice. If you’re an Oxbridge student/ alum, this is particularly important because Oxbridge is the leading force promoting pension cuts.

If you’re a concerned member of the public, write to your MP asking them to sign Early Day Motion 619, which calls for a prompt and fair resolution of the dispute, and requesting that they pressure your local university to resume talks: https://www.writetothem.com

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