Bristol University staff and students stand in solidarity as strike begins

University of Bristol staff have launched the first of three days of strike action in an ongoing dispute over pension cuts, workload, contracts and pay.

They join 50,000 members of the University and College Union (UCU) at 58 higher education institutions across the UK.

The main hub for strike action centred outside the Victoria Rooms on the Clifton Triangle on Wednesday morning. People joined picket lines throughout the campus on and around Woodlands Road from 8.30am.

Dr Jamie Melrose, Bristol University UCU branch president and teaching support assistant, told Bristol24/7: “We are striking to get our employer to take meaningful action to address five grievances.

“Firstly, our early career colleagues are facing life-altering post-retirement cuts to their pensions. In addition to this, our ‘four fights’ are focussed on workload, pay, the extensive use of precarious contracts and pay inequality, particularly around gender and ethnicity.”

Those who spoke at the rally later in the morning included Dan Norris, the Labour West of England metro mayor, and Carla Denyer, Green Party co-leader and Clifton Down councillor. Both stood in solidarity with those who were striking.

Carla Denyer said: “My connection to this issue is quite personal. I don’t work at the university but a great number of my friends do and have done, some of them having left due to the conditions. I know exactly what it’s like.

“I am here to stand with you against pension cuts, against insufficient pay, against the gender and ethnic pay gap, against the casualisation of workers and against unrealistic workloads.”

One person affected by casualisation and the widespread use of precarious contracts is Susannah O’Sullivan, 27, a teacher in the School of Politics and International Studies.

She told Bristol24/7: “I teach five masters seminar groups on a course called international relations theories, for which I am employed on an hourly paid, short-term contract from this September until the end of February.

“This has a huge impact on my life; I have no job security, I can’t plan for the future and I am currently on universal credit so that I can afford my rent.”

Susannah O’Sullivan standing at the picket line outside the Social Sciences and Law building – photo by Betty Woolerton

Susannah is among the 68 per cent of research staff in higher education institutions that are on fixed-term contracts (UCU).

UCU members were also protesting the proposed changes to their current USS (Universities Superannuation Scheme) benefits, which could see their pensions cut by up to 50 per cent.

Rowan Tomlinson, a senior lecturer in renaissance studies in the french department, is potentially facing an annual income of £9,444 when she retires, a time when she will still be paying her mortgage.

Students march down Park Street to College Green, where the rally congregated – photo by Betty Woolerton

Despite the direct disruption to their learning, the strike was visibly supported by Bristol University students.

Amy Sage, 27, is a postgraduate researcher in social policy and stood in solidarity with lecturers and support staff, saying: “As a postgraduate researcher, I am likely to be put on a teaching post that is on a zero-hours, temporary contract with low pay, yet be heavily relied upon to deliver teaching. I am thinking for the future: we need to protect our working conditions.”

Overall, both students and staff were hopeful that meaningful progress will arise from their industrial action.

Melrose added “[I am] confident and hopeful that the vice chancellor’s recent agitation is a sign that a profound body, a majority hopefully, across this university and higher education institutions is in support of the aims of this strike.”

Staff at the University of Bristol are striking over pension cuts and working conditions – photo by Betty Woolerton

Commenting on the strikes, a University of Bristol spokesperson said: “Industrial action is part of a complex national dispute. These are important issues and we respect the right of our staff to strike, which we know was not an easy decision to make.

“As a university, we have worked collaboratively with our staff and the local UCU branch to put our collective views forward and have argued for higher employer contributions to help ensure the USS Pension scheme is sustainable in the future.

“It goes without saying that our priority as a university is providing teaching and learning for our students, many of whom have already faced severe disruption due to the pandemic. We’re well-prepared to mitigate the impact of industrial action and will be doing all that we can to keep any impact on our students to a minimum in the coming weeks.”

Main photo by Betty Woolerton

Read more: Bristol University staff set to strike over pension cuts and ‘unfair working conditions’

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