QUB and Ulster University staff take to picket lines on first of 18 days of planned strike action

UTV
At QUB, UCU members will be joined by members from UNITE Credit: UTV

A number of staff from Queen's University Belfast (QUB) and Ulster University are to start the first of 18 days of strike action on Wednesday.

Members of the University College Union (UCU) are taking to the picket lines due to an ongoing dispute over pay and working conditions.

The UCU has so far rejected two pay offers which it said were "well below the current inflation rate".

The action will see the biggest ever higher education sector strike with 150 UCU branches taking part UK-wide.

At QUB, UCU members will be joined by members from UNITE.

The UCU said: "Staff pay in UK universities has fallen by an average 25% since 2010, and staff retirement income was cut by an average 35% in 2022.

"In addition to demands on pay and pensions, UCU is also striking over workloads, casualisation of the university sector, and gender, race, and disability pay gaps".

Sean O'Connell, President of the Queen's UCU branch, said: "Years of real terms cuts to staff pay combined with the current cost-of-living crisis are a serious problem for our members.

"Employers have also yet to offer anything to resolve the sector-wide crisis in staff working conditions, precarious employment practices, and pay gaps, all of which directly affect the student experience," he added.

The union represents around 1,100 staff at QUB, including postgraduate teaching assistants, demonstrators, professional services and academic-related staff, along with lecturers.

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