Thread by @ingridharvold, Dear colleague, student and/or friend, As a member of the @UCU, I [...]

Dear colleague, student and/or friend,

As a member of the @UCU, I have withdrawn my labour for the period covered by the current strike action (November 25th to December 4th). I will not be replying to work-related e-mails (or tweets!) during this period.

1/12

The decision to engage in strike action is not taken lightly. I have in person explained to many students my reasons for participating, and am grateful for the support received. Given the impact of the strike on current students and indeed on non-striking colleagues...

2/12

...the tweets below are intended to provide information about my reasons for withdrawing my labour.

The UCU membership is on strike in order to achieve two demands:

First, that a plan be agreed for credible sector-wide action to address casualisation, pay inequality...

3/12

..and levels of pay. Over the last decade, the number of members of staff employed on fixed term contracts has expanded dramatically across the sector. A consequence of such contracts is often that individuals live in a position of precarity...

4/12

...unsure of where they will live and how they will pay rent beyond the end of an academic year.

Read more about impacts of increasing precarity in academia: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/features/dont-get-comfortable-the-rise-of-the-precarious-academy">https://www.timeshighereducation.com/features/...

5/12

Don’t get comfortable: the rise of the precarious academy

Precarity is a significant feature of the academy worldwide, creating a feeling of ‘academic apartheid’ as it grows. Ellie Bothwell explores its impact

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/features/dont-get-comfortable-the-rise-of-the-precarious-academy

In terms of gender inequality, across the sector women earn on average 15% less than male colleagues; at @UniOfYork, the figure is over 19%.
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/gender-pay-gap-uk-universities-report-slow-progress

6/12">https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/gend...

Gender pay gap: UK universities report slow progress

Experts warn much more left to do to reduce inequality, as male advantage grows at 46 institutions

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/gender-pay-gap-uk-universities-report-slow-progress

Since 2009, academic real-term pay has declined by 20%.
https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/10342/Value-of-university-staff-pay-has-plummeted-in-last-decade-employers-own-research-reveals">https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/1...

Read more about the UCU demands for pay equality and employment conditions: https://www.ucu.org.uk/he2019

7/12">https://www.ucu.org.uk/he2019&qu...

HE national negotiations 2019-20

Information on the national higher education negotiations for 2019-20.

https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/10342/Value-of-university-staff-pay-has-plummeted-in-last-decade-employers-own-research-reveals

Second, that action be taken to taken to ensure that decent pensions are protected within the sector. Last year, we had to fight to preserve our & #39;defined benefit& #39; pension scheme. Our position then was that our scheme is in its current form fundamentally sustainable...

8/12

...and that the valuation framework being applied to the scheme was not fit for purpose. The Joint Expert Panel that formed as a consequence of last year& #39;s strike agreed with us (/disagreed with our employers) that the defined benefit scheme was fundamentally sustainable.

9/12

Unfortunately, detrimental changes that we regard as unnecessary continue to be implemented to the scheme. Under the defined benefit scheme, the average academic can expect to retire on an income of around £18,000.

10/12

Under the & #39;defined contribution& #39; scheme that was nearly imposed in 2018 & which may still be moved towards, this level would realistically be around £10,000 per year.

Read more here for UCU demands https://www.ucu.org.uk/strikeforuss ">https://www.ucu.org.uk/strikefor... & here for recent coverage
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/sep/04/rising-contributions-reduced-benefits-university-pensions

11/12">https://www.theguardian.com/education...

Pension changes will leave university staff £240k worse off – study

Further strikes appear likely amid growing frustration among union members

https://www.ucu.org.uk/strikeforuss

For me, the fight to demonstrate that defined benefit pensions can be affordable and sustainable is of great importance to both current UCU members, and to future generations of workers.

In solidarity,

Ingrid

12/12

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