By Ross Collie

Staff at the University of Stirling have joined nationwide strikes over pay, pensions and working conditions.

The strikes, which take place on November 24, 25 and 30, have been called the “biggest ever university strikes” by the University and College Union (UCU).

Industrial action began on November 23, which included working to rule, refusal to make up for work lost due to strikes, and refusing to cover absent colleagues.

University of Stirling staff join more than 70,000 striking staff across 150 universities in the UK.

UCU members voted on two ballots. The first, regarding pay and working conditions, saw 81.1 per cent voting in favour of strike action (with 57.8 per cent turnout). The second ballot, on pensions, saw 84.9 per cent voting in favour of strike action (with 60.2 per cent turnout).

The pay and working conditions dispute relates to pay during the cost-of-living crisis and the use of insecure contracts. The union is demanding a pay rise, after a 3 per cent pay raise was not enough to end a decade of below inflation pay. Additionally, the union says that a third of staff are on insecure contracts, and is demanding an end to the practice.

On the pensions dispute, the union is seeking a reversal of cuts and restoration of benefits, after previous cuts saw the average member lose 35 per cent of guaranteed retirement income.

One of the staff on the picket line was Ariane Critchley, a lecturer at the University. She said: “These disputes have been ongoing for all the time I’ve worked in academia. Despite [the previous strikes], we’ve not resolved any of the fights that have been on the table.

“I think the strike is the right thing to do, and I hope this targeted approach will have some impact.

“It’s been nice being out here with teachers, students and other unions today and we hope that there will be an outcome in negotiations as a result of it.”

Adding on the comments of her colleague, Sara Hitchin, also a university lecturer in Stirling, said: “It’s good to see such a good turnout. It feels like we’ve been on strike for as many years as I can remember.

She added: “What I would really like is to get a message out that it’s not just about pay and pensions; it’s also about unrealistic workloads.”

“My colleagues and I want to provide high-quality teaching and a positive experience for our students.

“When you know it’s not possible to deliver that in the way you have done in the past, it’s really quite depressing. You want to get some satisfaction from your job, and it just feels at the moment that we’re not valued.”

There were also several students on the picket line, showing solidarity with their striking lecturers. One was Jamie, who said: “We’re out here to demonstrate out solidarity with our lecturers and teachers, as their working conditions are our learning conditions.

“Our teachers are a big part of our society, so I think it’s important to show solidarity with them. It’s also important to show the university that the teachers aren’t just sitting out here on their own.”

Another student, Lauren Harper, said: “I think students need to support the strikes. Our lecturers are facing burnout, they can’t effectively teach us.

“Just as students are facing a mental health crisis on campus, those same conditions are put on to our university staff.

“If we don’t meet their demands, then we’re not going to have a university sector in Scotland. All of this is just symptomatic of the marketisation of higher education.”