Originally published March 15 2011

CLASSES ACROSS the University of Edinburgh, and Scotland, will be disrupted on Thursday by staff strikes following University and College Union (UCU) ballots.

The decision to strike has been made as a “last resort” in a dispute over proposals to change the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) pension fund.

Throughout the UK, 63 UCU universities have voted to take part in strikes.  These will occur on March 17 in Scotland, March 18 in Wales, March 21 in Northern Ireland and March 22 in England. 

There will then be another day of nationwide strikes on March 24, which is expected to see further disruption to university classes.

In an e-mail to all students, the University of Edinburgh said, “UCU’s strike action could affect teaching, the Library and some student services.  The University cannot predict the extent of this action at Edinburgh, nor the disruption it might cause.”

It added that students should assume classes would take place, with schools advising of any cancellations.  All planned examinations will be taking place unaffected.

The strikes will not extend to all staff members – only those who are part of the UCU may strike.  The UCU Edinburgh is the trade union that represents academic and academic-related staff at the University of Edinburgh, including lecturers, researchers, library and administration staff.

The USS proposals come at the same time as separate but similar changes have been suggested for public service pensions in a report by Lord Hutton.

The most significant change to the scheme regards the calculation of pensions.  Until now a pension has been based on an employee’s final salary, but employers want to change this to a career average salary, which would be significantly lower.

The UCU has estimated that the changes would mean a 30-year-old lecturer currently entering the pensions scheme would lose out on £369,000 over the course of their retirement.

Existing members of the pensions scheme will maintain their final salary benefits structure, but they will have to increase their salary contribution to the fund to 7.5 per cent.  Employers’ contributions will be frozen at 16 per cent.

Staff have raised concerns about the implications the changes will bring for the future.  In an open letter to students, UCU Edinburgh wrote, “if university staff do not defend pensions and jobs, the sector will become less attractive to new researchers, lecturers, academic-related and support staff.”

Managers of the USS say that the proposals are the only way that the scheme can remain affordable for both members and employers.  Since the scheme was established in 1975, it claims the cost of providing benefits has risen substantially, mainly due to increased life expectancy.

UCU Edinburgh refuted these claims; saying “[The USS] is in good financial health.  We even proposed our own changes to make sure the scheme remains sustainable in the long term. But the employers are not listening. We have tried time and again to reach an agreement with them but they refuse to compromise.”

In an appeal to staff members, Mike Holmes, from the information services department and UCU Edinburgh Pensions Officer, wrote “I've paid for my pension, I value my pension, and I'll be on the picket line on the 17th and 24th to defend my pension. If you feel at all the same way, please join me there.”

An Edinburgh lecturer who wished to remain anonymous told The Student that he questioned whether all the available alternatives to striking had been pursued, and voiced concerns on how fair it was on students to cancel teaching time.

He said “While I think that the pensions problem is very serious and damaging, I do not believe that strike action should be taken when there are still other means of engagement available to solve the problem. Furthermore, students, who pay the fees, should not be the victims of this dispute. Strikes in education should be avoided as far as possible.”

The University of Edinburgh has decided that any pay deducted from staff taking part in the strikes will be contributed to the Student Hardship Fund.

The university did not respond to The Student’s request for comment.